Can fatty liver lead to liver cancer?
Ask the doctor
Q. I know that sometimes a fatty liver can lead to cirrhosis. What about liver cancer? Does drinking alcohol make a difference?
A. Fatty liver disease, what doctors call metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), has become extremely common. Some estimates suggest as many as 40% of Americans have too much liver fat.
Fatty liver disease occurs when abnormal amounts of fat make their way into liver cells. Having those fattened cells can lead to inflammation in the liver. The inflammation damages surrounding liver tissue.
Fatty liver with inflammation is known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
You are correct, it can lead to cirrhosis. And having cirrhosis increases the risk of developing liver cancer. And yes, overuse of alcohol can increase the risk even more.
Overweight and obese women may be especially susceptible to liver damage from alcohol even if they don't have MASH. For them, drinking even relatively small amounts of alcoholic beverages increases the risk of ongoing liver inflammation that can progress to cirrhosis. It's also likely true for men.
By the way, people with MASH should also be tested for hepatitis C. And for people with chronic hepatitis C, it's best to avoid all alcohol use.
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About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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