Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease predominant cause of liver cancer in Kerala, shows study

The largest State-wide epidemiological study on Hepatocellular Carcinoma or liver cancer, done across 15 major hospitals in Kerala, has reported cirrhosis caused by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to be the predominant aetiology of liver cancer in Kerala. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with or without metabolic syndrome was present in 44%. NAFLD, while it is progressive, is also modifiable through a healthy diet and adequate physical activity “Viral hepatitis is no longer an important etiology of liver cancer in Kerala, thanks to the successful vaccination against Hepatitis B and the curative antiviral therapy against Hepatitis C. The fact that a significant proportion of those with NAFLD is progressing to liver cancer, with or without cirrhosis, signals the importance of preventive strategies to check the spiralling levels of metabolic syndrome in the population,” says Cyriac Abby Philips, senior consultant Hepatologist and physician-scientist at the Liver Institute, Rajagiri Hospital, Kochi, who was part of the study group In the study, 48% of the patients presented with very advanced disease and received only palliation. If one has other associated risk factors such as diabetes, overweight/obesity or mild/moderate use of alcohol — it can predispose one to develop liver cancer with or without chronic liver disease.