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©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2008; 14(27): 4300-4308
Published online Jul 21, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.4300
Published online Jul 21, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.4300
Hepatocellular carcinoma: Epidemiology, risk factors and pathogenesis
Asmaa Ibrahim Gomaa, Shahid A Khan, Simon D Taylor-Robinson, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Imperial College London, St Mary’s Hospital Campus, Praed Street, London W2 1NY, United Kingdom
Asmaa Ibrahim Gomaa, Imam Waked, National Liver Institute, Menoufiya University, Shebeen El Kom 32111, Egypt
Mireille B Toledano, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Imperial College London, St Mary’s Hospital Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom
Author contributions: All authors generated the ideas and contributed to the writing of the manuscript. Gomaa AI and Khan SA were responsible for the literature search and collating the data, which were verified by Toledano MB and Taylor-Robinson SD, who also acts as guarantor for the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Shahid A Khan, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Imperial College London, St Mary’s Hospital Campus, Praed Street, London W2 1NY, United Kingdom. shahid.khan@imperial.ac.uk
Telephone: +44-207-8866454
Fax: +44-207-7249369
Received: April 9, 2008
Revised: May 1, 2008
Accepted: May 8, 2008
Published online: July 21, 2008
Revised: May 1, 2008
Accepted: May 8, 2008
Published online: July 21, 2008
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the commonest primary malignant cancer of the liver in the world. Given that the burden of chronic liver disease is expected to rise owing to increasing rates of alcoholism, hepatitis B and C prevalence and obesity-related fatty liver disease, it is expected that the incidence of HCC will also increase in the foreseeable future. This article summarizes the international epidemiology, the risk factors and the pathogenesis of HCC, including the roles of viral hepatitis, toxins, such as alcohol and aflatoxin, and insulin resistance.
Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, Epidemiology, Risk factors, Aetiology, Pathogenesis