NASH-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma Research Articles

Identification of chromatin-accessible domains in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-derived hepatocellular carcinoma.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is becoming one of the major causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States and Western countries; however, the molecular mechanisms associated with NASH-related liver carcinogenesis are not well understood. In the present study, we investigated cancer-associated chromatin alterations using a model that resembles the development of NASH-related HCC in humans. An assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) identified 1677 tumor-specific chromatin-accessible regions in NASH-derived HCC tissue samples. Using a combined analysis of ATAC-seq and global gene expression data, we identified 199 differentially expressed genes, 139 up-regulated and 60 down-regulated. Interestingly, 15 of the 139 up-regulated genes had accessible chromatin sites within 5 Kb of the transcription start site (TSS), including Apoa4, Anxa2, Serpine1, Igfbp1, and Tubb2a, genes critically involved in the development of NASH and HCC. We demonstrate that the mechanism for the up-regulation of these genes is associated with the enrichment of chromatin-accessible regions by transcription factors, especially NFATC2, and histone H3K4me1 and H3K27ac gene transcription-activating marks. These data underline the important role of chromatin accessibility perturbations in reshaping of the chromatin landscape in NASH-related HCC.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

AbstractNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the United States. Approximately 10 to 20% of patients with NAFLD progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH can progress to cirrhosis, which, in turn, can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, evidence also supports that HCC can develop in patients with NASH who do not have cirrhosis or advanced fibrosis. Obesity, diabetes mellitus, hepatic iron deposition, and insulin resistance are potential risk factors for HCC in NASH. Mechanisms proposed include a role for tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, insulinlike growth factor, and nuclear factor κβ activation in progression of NASH to HCC. Polymorphisms in patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 also support a genetic influence in NASH-related HCC. Surgical resection, liver directed therapy, and liver transplant remain the mainstay of therapy. Ultrasound has reduced sensitivity for surveillance of HCC in obese patients and alpha fetoprotein may have more value for HCC surveillance in the NASH patient as compared with the HCV patient. Although HCC can develop in noncirrhotic NASH, currently there are no guidelines to recommend surveillance in noncirrhotic NASH patients.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma: is there a role for the androgen receptor pathway?

The epidemic of insulin resistance, obesity, and metabolic syndrome has led to the emergence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) as the most common cause of liver disease in the US. Patients with NASH are at an increased risk for hepatic disease-related morbidity and death, and chronic inflammation in NASH patients can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The prevalence of HCC is higher in males than in females, and genetic studies have identified androgen and androgen receptors (ARs) as partially responsible for the gender disparity in the development of liver disease and HCC. Although many factors are known to play important roles in the progression of inflammation in NASH patients, the role of androgen and AR in the progression of NASH to HCC has been understudied. This review summarizes the evidence for a potential role of androgen and the AR pathway in the development of NASH-related HCC and in the treatment of HCC. It has been proposed that AR plays a role in the progression of HCC: inhibitory roles in early stages of hepatocarcinogenesis and tumor-promoting roles in advanced stages. AR can be activated by several pathways, even in the absence of androgen. While AR has been explored as a potential therapeutic target in HCC, several clinical trials have failed to demonstrate a clinical benefit of antiandrogen drugs in HCC. This review discusses the potential reason for these observations and discuss the potential future trials design in this important setting.

Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis during non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related multistage hepatocarcinogenesis: comparison with hepatitis virus-related carcinogenesis.

The aim of this study was to clarify the significance of DNA methylation alterations during non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-related hepatocarcinogenesis. Single-CpG-resolution genome-wide DNA methylation analysis was performed on 264 liver tissue samples using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. After Bonferroni correction, 3331 probes showed significant DNA methylation alterations in 113 samples of non-cancerous liver tissue showing NASH (NASH-N) as compared with 55 samples of normal liver tissue (NLT). Principal component analysis using the 3331 probes revealed distinct DNA methylation profiles of NASH-N samples that were different from those of NLT samples and 37 samples of non-cancerous liver tissue showing chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (viral-N). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified 194 probes that were able to discriminate NASH-N samples from viral-N samples with area under the curve values of more than 0.95. Jonckheere-Terptsra trend test revealed that DNA methylation alterations in NASH-N samples from patients without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were inherited by or strengthened in NASH-N samples from patients with HCC, and then inherited by or further strengthened in 22 samples of NASH-related HCC (NASH-T) themselves. NASH- and NASH-related HCC-specific DNA methylation alterations, which were not evident in viral-N samples and 37 samples of HCC associated with HBV or HCV infection, were observed in tumor-related genes, such as WHSC1, and were frequently associated with mRNA expression abnormalities. These data suggested that NASH-specific DNA methylation alterations may participate in NASH-related multistage hepatocarcinogenesis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: Current knowledge and implications for management.

With the prevalence of hepatitis C virus expected to decline, the proportion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) related to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is anticipated to increase exponentially due to the growing epidemic of obesity and diabetes. The annual incidence rate of developing HCC in patients with NASH-related cirrhosis is not clearly understood with rates ranging from 2.6%-12.8%. While multiple new mechanisms have been implicated in the development of HCC in NASH; further prospective long-term studies are needed to validate these findings. Recent evidence has shown a significant proportion of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and NASH progress to HCC in the absence of cirrhosis. Liver resection and transplantation represent curative therapeutic options in select NASH-related HCC patients but have placed a significant burden to our healthcare resources and utilization. Currently NASH-related HCC is the fastest growing indication for liver transplant in HCC candidates. Increased efforts to implement effective screening and preventative strategies, particularly in non-cirrhotic NASH patients, are needed to reduce the future impact imposed by NASH-related HCC.

The Serum Oxidative/Anti-oxidative Stress Balance Becomes Dysregulated in Patients with Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis Associated with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Objective Oxidative stress is associated with the progression of chronic liver disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is also an oxidative stress-related disease. However, the oxidative/anti-oxidative balance has not been fully characterized in NAFLD. The objective of the present study was to investigate the balance between oxidative stress and the anti-oxidative activity in NAFLD, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients We recruited 69 patients with histologically proven NAFLD without HCC (NAFLD; n=58), and with NASH-related HCC (NASH-HCC; n=11). The 58 NAFLD patients included patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL; n=14) and NASH (n=44). Methods The serum levels of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) and anti-oxidative markers (OXY) were determined and then used to calculate the oxidative index. The correlations among such factors as ROM, OXY, oxidative index, and clinical characteristics were investigated. Results In NAFLD, ROM positively correlated with the body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), C-reactive protein (CRP), and the histological grade or inflammatory scores, while only high HbA1c and CRP levels were significant factors that correlated with a higher ROM according to a multivariate analysis. OXY positively correlated with the platelet counts, albumin, and creatinine levels, while negatively correlating with age. However, it improved after treatment intervention. The oxidative index positively correlated with BMI, CRP, and HbA1c. The NASH-HCC patients exhibited a lower OXY than the NASH patients, probably due to the effects of aging. Conclusion Oxidative stress correlated with the levels of NASH activity markers, while the anti-oxidative function was preserved in younger patients as well as in patients with a well-preserved liver function. The NASH-HCC patients tended to be older and exhibited a diminished anti-oxidative function.

Abstract 5240: Lacking hepatic retinoid storage in mice suppresses NASH-related hepatocarcinogenesis

Abstract Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome, has become one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease in developed countries. Some patients with NAFLD develop a more serious form of the disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and NASH can develop cirrhosis or even hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although hepatic retinoid (vitamin A) stores are progressively lost during the development of liver diseases, how this affects NAFLD/NASH and NASH-related hepatocarcinogenesis is unknown. In order to investigate this, we used streptozotocin (STZ) and high-fat diet (HFD) to induce NASH and related hepatic tumorigenesis in matched wild-type and lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) knockout (KO) mice, which lack stored retinoid in the liver. LRAT is the sole enzyme responsible for hepatic retinyl ester synthesis since LRAT KO mice completely lack lipid droplets in hepatic stellate cells. Mice were injected with STZ within 48 hours after birth and then fed HFD from 4 to 16 weeks of age. At the termination of the experiment, liver tumors were observed macroscopically and microscopically in both groups. In LRAT KO mice, the development of hepatic adenoma and HCC was significantly suppressed compared to control group. LRAT KO mice showed decreased expression levels of cyclin D1 and TGF-beta mRNA in the liver. The serum levels of d-ROMs and BAP were measured and the d-ROM/BAP ratio, which indicates oxidative stress, markedly decreased in LRAT KO mice. The fibrosis in the liver of the LRAT KO mice was decreased. In addition, liver fibrosis in LRAT KO mice was suppressed. These findings indicate that LRAT KO mice are less susceptible to STZ and HFD-induced liver tumorigenesis due to regulation of cell cycle and attenuation of oxidative stress. The amount of hepatic retinoid may affect the progression of NASH and the development of NASH-related HCC. Citation Format: Takayasu Ideta, Yohei Shirakami, Tsuneyuki Miyazaki, Hiroyasu Sakai, Takuji Tanaka, William S. Blaner, Masahito Shimizu. Lacking hepatic retinoid storage in mice suppresses NASH-related hepatocarcinogenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 5240.

Midkine Increases Diagnostic Yield in AFP Negative and NASH-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Robust biomarkers for population-level hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance are lacking. We compared serum midkine (MDK), dickkopf-1 (DKK1), osteopontin (OPN) and AFP for HCC diagnosis in 86 HCC patients matched to 86 cirrhotics, 86 with chronic liver disease (CLD) and 86 healthy controls (HC). Based on the performance of each biomarker, we assessed a separate longitudinal cohort of 28 HCC patients, at and before cancer diagnosis. Serum levels of MDK and OPN were higher in HCC patients compared to cirrhosis, CLD and HC groups. DKK1 was not different between cases and controls. More than half of HCC patients had normal AFP. In this AFP-negative HCC cohort, 59.18% (n = 29/49) had elevated MDK, applying the optimal cut-off of 0.44 ng/ml. Using AFP ≥ 20 IU/ml or MDK ≥ 0.44 ng/ml, a significantly greater number (76.7%; n = 66/86) of HCC cases were detected. The area under the receiver operating curve for MDK was superior to AFP and OPN in NASH-HCC diagnosis. In the longitudinal cohort, MDK was elevated in 15/28 (54%) of HCC patients at diagnosis, of whom 67% had elevated MDK 6 months prior. Conclusion: AFP and MDK have a complementary role in HCC detection. MDK increases the diagnostic yield in AFP-negative HCC and has greater diagnostic performance than AFP, OPN and DKK-1 in the diagnosis of NASH-HCC. Additionally, MDK has a promising role in the pre-clinical diagnosis of HCC.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma: the Impact of NAFLD

The burden of chronic liver diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and metabolic syndrome (MS) is increasing worldwide. Moreover, MS and its components act as co-factors in HCC development in patients with other chronic liver diseases due to high alcohol intake or hepatitis B or C infection. Patients with NASH-related HCC are frequently older; their tumors are more frequently diagnosed in non-cirrhotic livers and at an advanced stage compared to HCC due to other etiologies. Patients with MS appear also to be at risk of post-operative complications after liver resection and transplantation. However, after adjustment for tumor burden and severity of the underlying liver disease, long-term outcomes appear to be similar for NASH-related HCC and HCC due to other etiologies. Research on preventive strategies, screening programs for patients with NASH without cirrhosis but at high risk of HCC development, and new therapeutic strategies are warranted in order to respond to this emerging menace.

Establishment and evaluation of a mouse model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma

To establish an apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) double-knockout (ApoE(-/-)/LDLR(-/-)) mouse model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced by high-fat and high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet. ApoE(-/-) knockout mice were crossed with LDLR(-/-) knockout mice to obtain ApoE(-/-)/LDLR(-/-) mice. The ApoE(-/-)/LDLR(-/-) mice mated with each other, and the offspring were injected with low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) at 2-3 days after birth. Some mice were fed with HFHC diet after weaning as the model group (n = 15), and some mice were fed with normal diet as the control group (n = 15). Mice were sacrificed at the end of weeks 10, 16, and 20 (5 mice at each time point). The body weight was measured. Liver tissue and blood were collected to measure biochemical parameters, evaluate the pathological changes in the liver tissue by HE staining, oil red O staining, and Masson staining, and detect the expression of glypican-3 (a marker of HCC) by immunohistochemical staining. The model group had significantly higher levels of fasting blood glucose and total cholesterol than the control group (P < 0.01). Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and total triglyceride gradually increased with time in the model group; at week 20, there were significant differences in above three indices between the two groups (P < 0.05). HE staining showed that compared with the control group at the corresponding time point, the model group developed sequential histological changes: NASH at week 10, dysplastic nodules at week 16, and early HCC at week 20. Oil red O staining showed that in the model group, the degree of liver steatosis increased within 10 weeks and gradually decreased later. Masson staining demonstrated that the model group developed pathological changes: mild perisinusoidal fibrosis at week 16 and bridging fibrosis around tumors at week 20. HE staining, oil red O staining, and Masson staining showed that no histological or pathological changes were found in the control group. Glypican-3 was detected in the nodules at week 16 and in the cytoplasm of HCC cells at week 20 in the model group. The mouse model of NASH-related HCC can be developed by giving STZ injection to neonatal ApoE(-/-)/LDLR(-/-) mice and feeding them with HFHC diet after weaning for 20 weeks. Early HCC may develop directly from NASH.

Clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a review of human studies.

Most cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japan develop in the background of chronic liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV). Recently, however, HCV-associated HCC has been shown to be decreasing, while non-B and non-C HCC (NBNC-HCC), which is negative for HCV and hepatitis B virus infection, has increased. The main cause of NBNC-HCC is alcoholic liver disease, but the recent increase of NBNC-HCC is thought to be due to an increase in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Approximately 10% of NAFLD cases involve nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and NASH can progress to liver cirrhosis and its associated complications such as HCC. There are no accurate data on the percentage of NASH-related HCC among all-cause HCC in Japan, because no large-scale investigation has been performed. However, the rate is thought to be about 3% of overall HCC, which is lower than that in the United States. The incidence of HCC in patients with NASH-related cirrhosis is thought to be 2% per year, which is lower than that in HCV-related cirrhosis. Risks for NASH-related HCC include advanced hepatic fibrosis, older age, and being male. NAFLD that includes NASH is associated with metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity and diabetes, and metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for HCC. Genetic factors and dietary patterns may also be related to NASH-related HCC. Thus, regular HCC surveillance, as performed for patients with viral chronic liver disease, is required for patients with NAFLD, and diagnostic markers are required for simple, rapid and specific detection of NASH-related HCC.

Contribution of the toxic advanced glycation end-products-receptor axis in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. The main etiologies of HCC are hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus (HCV), and non-hepatitis B/non-hepatitis C HCC (NBNC-HCC) has also been identified as an etiological factor. Although the incidence of HCV-related HCC in Japan has decreased slightly in recent years, that of NBNC-HCC has increased. The onset mechanism of NBNC-HCC, which has various etiologies, remains unclear; however, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a severe form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, is known to be an important risk factor for NBNC-HCC. Among the different advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) formed by the Maillard reaction, glyceraldehyde-derived AGEs, the predominant components of toxic AGEs (TAGE), have been associated with NASH and NBNC-HCC, including NASH-related HCC. Furthermore, the expression of the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) has been correlated with the malignant progression of HCC. Therefore, TAGE induce oxidative stress by binding with RAGE may, in turn, lead to adverse effects, such as fibrosis and malignant transformation, in hepatic stellate cells and tumor cells during NASH or NASH-related HCC progression. The aim of this review was to examine the contribution of the TAGE-RAGE axis in NASH-related HCC.

Abstract 3878: Differential expression of cancer stem cell markers and their clinicopathological features in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with different etiologies

Abstract Aim: Some pluripotent genes and epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) have been reported as cancer stem cell markers in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nanog was recently reported to regulate self-renewal of cancer stem cells though the insulin-like growth factor pathway in HCC. However, the expression status of the pluripotent stem cell genes and their clinicopathological significance in HCC from different etiologies remain unexplored. Here, we compared the expression status of stem cell markers in HCCs derived from hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver disease and from nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and also determined the clinical characteristics of Nanog-positive HCCs in NASH patients. Methods: Resected tissues from 21 NASH-related HCC (NASH-HCC) patients with histologically proven steatohepatitis and 24 HCV-related HCC (HCV-HCC)CV-HCC)HCV patients were analyzed with all patients' written informed consent. The NASH group was defined as patients who consumed less than 20 g/day of alcohol. The expression status of Nanog, Oct4, Sox9, and EpCAM were determined by immunohistochemistry. The clinicopathological features of Nanog-positive NASH-HCC patients were analyzed. Results: 1) Nanog was strongly expressed in 14.3/8.3% of NASH-HCC/HCV-HCC patients, and in 66.7/25% of noncancerous tissues of NASH/HCV (p&amp;lt;0.05). Strong positive expression (defined as a positive area of over 50% of the examined tissues) was observed in most in NASH-HCC cases. Nanog-positive HCC patients showed no expression of EpCAM, and were Oct4-positive in 50% of cases and Sox9-positive in 75%. 2) EpCAM was strongly expressed in 5.0/8.3% of NASH-HCC/HCV-HCC, and in 10/41.7% of noncancerous tissues of NASH/HCV (p&amp;lt;0.05). EpCAM-positive HCC patients showed no expression of Nanog, Oct4, or Sox9. 3) The expression of Sox9 was more dominant in noncancerous tissues in both NASH and HCV patients. 4) In NASH-HCC, Nanog-positive patients showed a significantly higher indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min (ICG-R15), were more obese, and showed advanced fibrosis of noncancerous tissues. Conclusions: The expression status of stem cell markers differed between NASH- and HCV-related liver diseases. The expression of Nanog and EpCAM in HCC were mutually exclusive and their expression in noncancerous liver tissues may be an independent risk factor in NASH- and HCV-related HCCs, respectively. Citation Format: Tomomi Kogiso, Etsuko Hashimoto, Kazuhisa Kodama, Maki Tobari, Noriko Matsushita, Nobuyuki Torii, Makiko Taniai, Katsutoshi Tokushige, Keiko Shiratori. Differential expression of cancer stem cell markers and their clinicopathological features in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with different etiologies. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3878. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3878

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is the most rapidly growing indication for liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in the U.S.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is currently the third leading indication for liver transplantation (LT) in the U.S. and is predicted to become the leading indication for LT in the near future. The trends in NASH-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among LT recipients in the U.S. remain undefined. We performed a retrospective cohort study to evaluate trends in the etiology of HCC among adult LT recipients in the U.S. from 2002 to 2012, using national data from the United Network for Organ Sharing registry. From 2002-2012, there were 61,868 adults who underwent LT in the U.S., including 10,061 patients with HCC. The total number and proportion of HCC LT recipients demonstrated a significant increase following the implementation of the Model for Endstage Liver Disease (MELD) scoring system in 2002 (3.3%, n=143 in 2000 versus 12.2%, n=714 in 2005 versus 23.3%, n=1336 in 2012). The proportion of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC increased steadily from 2002 to 2012, and HCV remained the leading etiology of HCC throughout the MELD era (43.4% in 2002 versus 46.3% in 2007 versus 49.9% in 2012). NASH-related HCC also increased significantly, and NASH is the second leading etiology of HCC-related LT (8.3% in 2002 versus 10.3% in 2007 versus 13.5% in 2012). From 2002 to 2012, the number of patients undergoing LT for HCC secondary to NASH increased by nearly 4-fold, and the number of LT patients with HCC secondary to HCV increased by 2-fold. NASH is the second leading etiology of HCC leading to LT in the U.S. More important, NASH is currently the most rapidly growing indication for LT in patients with HCC in the U.S.

Fatty Acid Elongation in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) represents a risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is characterized by quantitative and qualitative changes in hepatic lipids. Since elongation of fatty acids from C16 to C18 has recently been reported to promote both hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammation we aimed to investigate whether a frequently used mouse NASH model reflects this clinically relevant feature and whether C16 to C18 elongation can be observed in HCC development. Feeding mice a methionine and choline deficient diet to model NASH not only increased total hepatic fatty acids and cholesterol, but also distinctly elevated the C18/C16 ratio, which was not changed in a model of simple steatosis (ob/ob mice). Depletion of Kupffer cells abrogated both quantitative and qualitative methionine-and-choline deficient (MCD)-induced alterations in hepatic lipids. Interestingly, mimicking inflammatory events in early hepatocarcinogenesis by diethylnitrosamine-induced carcinogenesis (48 h) increased hepatic lipids and the C18/C16 ratio. Analyses of human liver samples from patients with NASH or NASH-related HCC showed an elevated expression of the elongase ELOVL6, which is responsible for the elongation of C16 fatty acids. Taken together, our findings suggest a detrimental role of an altered fatty acid pattern in the progression of NASH-related liver disease.

NAFLD and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: How Big a Problem is This Really?

A definite link between non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has emerged. Diabetes, older age and the presence of cirrhosis are the key risk factors for HCC in patients with NAFLD. Although the rates of development of HCC are generally lower compared with viral (HCV) aetiology, the absolute burden of NASH-related HCC is higher. Diagnostic delay, older age and the concurrent presence of severe metabolic or vascular disease limits potentially curative treatment, such as liver transplantation. Most worrisome, is the recent evidence that HCC may develop also in non-cirrhotic livers with NAFLD, particularly in the presence of multiple metabolic risk factors. In the coming decades, we expect a change in the burden of the attributable proportion of HCC shifting from viral hepatitis to NASH, as the major risk factor for HCC worldwide.

P27 Is a critical prognostic biomarker in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a recently identified chronic liver disease, which progresses to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As the number of patients studied to date has been limited, clinically useful prognostic biomarkers of NASH-related HCC have not been available. In this study, we investigated the status of a cell-cycle regulator, p27, in NASH-related HCC. p27 has been regarded as a prognostic factor in various types of cancer patients. A total of 22 cases with NASH-related HCC were analyzed for p27 protein expression, and phosphorylation at threonine 157 (T157) and serine 10 (S10) by immunohistochemical analysis. The correlation of p27 with tumor characteristics, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival was analyzed. p27 expression was decreased in 13 HCCs (59%), and was significantly correlated with enlarged tumor size (p = 0.01) and increased cell proliferation (p < 0.01). Phospho-p27 at T157 and S10 was detected in four (18%) and seven (32%) cases, respectively, and patients positive for phospho-p27 (S10) showed reduced DFS (hazard ratio 7.623, p = 0.016) by univariate analysis. Further studies with more patients are required to verify the usefulness of p27 as a biomarker for predicting tumor recurrence in NASH patients.

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Alpha-fetoprotein testing for hepatocellular carcinoma may not be helpful in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Background & Objectives: Diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often utilizes serum tumor markers. Although the most commonly used tumor marker in clinical practice, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is not included in recent guidelines for diagnosing HCC. The overall performance characteristics of AFP as a tumor marker is viewed as insufficiently sensitive or specific. The diagnostic value of AFP specifically in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) related HCC is unknown. We aimed to determine the utility of AFP testing in NASH-related HCC. Methods: Retrospective review of 737 HCC patients referred from 1993- 2011 to a single facility treating the majority of chronic liver disease in Hawaii. HCC was diagnosed histologically by percutaneous biopsy, liver biopsy at the time of surgery, or examination of the resected liver. Patients were classified according to HCC risk factors including NASH, hepatitis B and C infection, and alcohol-related. Other data collected included: demographics, ethnicity, presence of cirrhosis, tumor characteristics (size, number, vascular invasion), diabetes, hyperlipidemia, body mass index (BMI) and blood testing to calculate Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. Elevated AFP was defined as >20 ng/mL. Sensitivity of AFP was determined and compared between various subgroups. Results: Elevated AFP levels were detected in 64.3% of patients. AFP sensitivity was 47% for NASH-related HCC (n = 100), and 67.2% for HCC with viral or alcoholic risk factors (n = 637) (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.28 - 0.66, p = 0.0001). Elevated AFP had higher sensitivity in females (71.9% vs. 61.8%, OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.1 - 2.27, p = 0.013), non-diabetics (67.4% vs. 57.2%, OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.47 - 0.89, p = 0.0093), and cirrhotics (67.1% vs. 56.8%, OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.10 - 2.19, p = 0.0012).AFP did not vary significantly with regard to hyperlipidemia or BMI. AFP was more sensitive in advanced disease including tumors > 5 cm, multiple tumors, or vascular invasion (all with p < 0.05). AFP did not vary with MELD score. Conclusions: Normal AFP is common in NASH-related HCC. Better tumor markers may be needed to optimally screen and diagnose NASH-related HCC. Without more effective tumor markers, HCC detection relies heavily upon imaging and liver biopsy.

Multicentric occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

To reveal the manner of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) focusing on multicentric occurrence (MO) of HCC. We compared clinicopathological characteristics between patients with and without MO of HCC arising from NASH background. The clinical features were implicated with reference to the literature available. MO of HCC was identified with histological proof in 4 out of 12 patients with NASH-related HCC (2 males and 2 females). One patient had synchronous MO; an advanced HCC, two well-differentiated HCCs and a dysplastic nodule, followed by the development of metachronous MO of HCC. The other three patients had multiple advanced HCCs accompanied by a well-differentiated HCC or a dysplastic nodule. Of these three patients, one had synchronous MO, one had metachronous MO and the other had both synchronous and metachronous MO. There were no obvious differences between the patients with or without MO in terms of liver function tests, tumor markers and anatomical extent of HCC. On the other hand, all four patients with MO of HCC were older than 70 years old and had the comorbidities of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension and cirrhosis. Although these conditions were not limited to MO of HCC, all the conditions were met in only one of eight patients without MO of HCC. Thus, concurrence of these conditions may be a predisposing situation to synchronous MO of HCC. In particular, old age, T2DM and cirrhosis were suggested to be prerequisite for MO because these factors were depicted in common among two other cases with MO of HCC under NASH in the literature. The putative predisposing factors and necessary preconditions for synchronous MO of HCC in NASH were suggested in this study. Further investigations are required to clarify the accurate prevalence and predictors of MO to establish better strategies for treatment and prevention leading to the prognostic improvement in NASH.