ISSN: 2578-4625
Authors: Fujioka K*
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is attributed to liver-related morbidity and mortality, there is also growing evidence that NAFLD is a multisystem disease. NAFLD has to be considered as a significant independent risk factor for subclinical and clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD). The author previously suggested that an association between chronic liver disease (NAFLD/NASH and chronic hepatitis C virus infection: HCV infection) and systemic atherosclerosis may be present due to the presence of the inflammation as a common pathway. The growing incidence of NAFLD/ NASH has led to an increase of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Non-cirrhotic NAFLD-HCC has been also reported and the characteristic findings of a large cohort of HCC cases estimated the outcomes of patients with non-cirrhotic NAFLDHCC were studied. In this article, the current knowledges of NAFLD/NASH- related HCC along with the genetics role have been reviewed. As NAFLD can develop HCC without NASH or cirrhosis, it is important to increase the effective screening and preventative strategies in patient with NAFLD/NASH. As PNPLA3 rs738409 C>G variant may be considered as an indicator of liver complication and/or death in patients with NAFLD, the further studies for PNPLA3 variant based on gene susceptibility will be needed especially in patient with non-cirrhotic NAFLD.
Keywords: NAFLD/NASH-related HCC; Non-cirrhosis NAFLD-HCC; Genetics; PNPLA3 variant; Atherosclerosis
