Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by an excessive accumulation of fatty acids and triglycerides within the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes of non-alcohol users. The natural history varies according to the initial histological diagnosis. A current consideration is that cryptogenic cirrhosis may be representative of a late stage of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which has lost its features of necroinflammatory activity and steatosis in up to 80% of patients. Since NASH is able to progress to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development may be an end-stage of this disease. We report below two clinical cases of patients diagnosed with NASH who developed HCC. The relationship between NAFLD and HCC is reviewed.