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candyswift-ny · 3 years ago

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The Incidence of Liver Cancer Caused by NAFLD is Rising Rapidly

According to statistics, the global prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is about 25%, ranging from 13% in Africa to 42% in Southeast Asia. Studies also predict that from 2016 to 2030, the prevalence of NAFLD in France, Germany, Italy, China, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States will increase to 56%.

This disease can cause a type of fat called triglycerides to gather in the liver, which can lead to damage. NAFLD can cause cirrhosis and liver failure. It commonly occurs in people who are overweight or obese, or who have type 2 diabetes or a metabolic syndrome characterized by high blood sugar, extra body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels. NAFLD includes a series of diseases, such as fatty liver, simple steatosis, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). And what should be noticed is that NAFLD and liver cancer do have some correlations.

Primary liver cancer has several well-recognized risk factors, such as HBV (hepatitis B) and HCV (hepatitis C) infection, alcohol abuse and aflatoxin. And studies also showed that NAFLD, affecting a large proportion of the US population, is associated with an increased risk of liver cancer, mainly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is now the leading cause of obesity-related cancer deaths in middle-aged men in the USA.

The previous study has found that palmitic acid (PA) treatment accelerated the production of exosomes in hepatocytes and altered their miRNA profile. In addition, exosomes originating from PA-treated hepatocytes induced the increased expression of fibrotic genes in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Therefore, exosomes may have important roles in the crosstalk between hepatocytes and HSCs during the progression from simple steatosis to NASH, thus increase the risk of liver cancer.

The global incidence of NAFLD-related liver cancer ranges from 1% to 38%. Among them, countries with higher incidence tend to have higher obesity rates. Data show that from 1990 to 2015, the incidence of liver cancer has increased by 75%.

In daily life, patients with NAFLD should take actions to prevent liver cancer, such as weight loss, smoking cessation, and alcohol quitting. Studies have shown that weight loss of 10% or more can improve NAFLD in 90% of patients, and reduce liver fibrosis in 45% of patients. For the prevention of liver cancer, bariatric surgery is not currently recommended; the anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenesis and liver fibrosis effects of aspirin and statins have been basically recognized in academia, but further research is still needed to prove their efficacy and safety. In short, metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes are gradually increasing, and people must take precautions before they happen. Preventing NAFLD is a way to block the occurrence of liver cancer from the source.

Based on a deep scientific understanding of NASH and rich experience in the discovery & development of various drugs, Creative Biolabs has the ability to offer one-stop customizable NASH drug development services, from the development of diagnostic biomarkers, the discovery of potential therapeutic targets to the provision of preclinical models, to help researchers bring new therapies to the market.

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