Foreword

There is little doubt that hepatocellular carcinoma is the new frontier in hepatology. It is a disease of global significance with a devastatingly poor prognosis and is characterized by modest therapeutic advances in the past 20 years. Much more needs to be achieved in coming years if the burden of this disease is to be reduced. Liver cancer is an underappreciated cause of mortality on a global scale. Most hepatocellular carcinoma occurs in patients with already established liver disease. It is not surprising that there is marked regional variation in the burden of liver cancer given the geographical variation in the prevalence of liver disease, particularly viral hepatitis. Advances in the prevention and therapy of chronic viral hepatitis should have impact on the incidence of liver cancer - if these advances can be delivered to regions of greatest need. The emergence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease as an important contributor to the incidence of liver cancer is concerning, considering the scale of the modern obesity epidemic. It is overrepresented as an underlying cause in Europe, Australasia, and high-income North America - thus illustrating the ongoing need for public health and policy interventions to target those at risk. CONTINUE READING…..