title: Clinical features of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), especially nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, is a recognized risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, detailed analysis of the clinical features in patients with NAFLD and their association with HCC is lacking. This study aimed to update the clinical features of patients with NAFLD-associated HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of patients with NAFLD-associated HCC from 25 studies published between 1990 and 2010 in the Pubmed database were comprehensively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a total of 169 patients with NAFLD-associated HCC, 72.8% were male. The median age at abnormal liver function tests and diagnosis of NAFLD and HCC was 60, 64 and 67 years, respectively. Most patients were obese (75%) and diabetic (59.8%), 32.3% had dyslipidemia, and 53% had hypertension. Nearly all patients (98.6%, 71/72) were complicated with at least one metabolic disorder. The majority (76%) of the HCC patients had a solitary tumor nodule, with the tumor size ranging from 0.8 to 20 cm in diameter (mean 3.4 cm). Most (61.1%) of the patients had moderately-differentiated HCC. In 40.2% of the patients, HCC occurred in the absence of cirrhosis. Among 130 patients, 57.7% underwent hepatectomy and 14.6% received liver transplantation. The mean follow-up of the treated patients for 25 months showed that 32.4% (24/74) died and 18.8% (9/48) had recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with NAFLD-associated HCC are usually accompanied with metabolic disorders. Regular surveillance in patients with NAFLD for HCC is necessary, especially for elderly men with metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. fanjiangao@gmail.com
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Jian-Gao
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome