title: Epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common histologic type of primary liver cancer, accounting for between 85% and 90% of these malignancies. The overall prognosis of patients with liver cancer is poor, and an understanding of this disease and its risk factors is crucial for screening at-risk individuals, early recognition, and timely diagnosis. Most HCCs arise in the background of chronic liver disease caused by hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and chronic excessive alcohol intake. These underlying causes are characterized by marked variations in geography, gender, and other well-documented risk factors, some of which are potentially preventable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Blalock 688, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lafaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of California-Irvine, 333 City Boulevard West, Suite 1205, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
authors.forename: Aram N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Demirjian
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street, Blalock 688, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. Electronic address: tpawlik1@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Pawlik
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Aflatoxin; Chronic liver disease; Cirrhosis; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Incidence; Risk factors