Metabolic syndrome a significant risk factor for liver cancer

Welzel TM. Hepatology. 2011;doi:10.1002/hep.24397.

Patients with metabolic syndrome had a twofold higher risk for hepatocellular carcinoma and a 1.56-fold increased risk for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, according to results of a new study.

Using information from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database, Tania Welzel, MD, of the National Cancer Institute and Klinikum der J.W. Goethe-Universität in Germany, and colleagues examined the association between metabolic syndrome and development of these primary liver cancers. Those diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; n=3,649) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC; n=743) between 1993 and 2005 were included. The researchers compared the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and other risk factors for HCC and ICC among those with cancer and a 5% sample of people from the same regions as the SEER registries who did not develop cancer (n=195,953).

Metabolic syndrome was present among 37.1% of HCC cases and 29.7% of ICC cases vs. 17.1% of those in the comparison group (P<.0001). In addition, multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that metabolic syndrome was significantly associated with an increased risk for HCC (OR=2.13; 95% CI, 1.96-2.31) and ICC (OR=1.56; 95% CI, 1.32-1.83).

“The risk of developing these primary liver cancers is significant for individuals with this condition,” Welzel said in a press release. “Due to the high prevalence of metabolic syndrome, even small increases in the absolute risk for HCC and ICC may contribute to the increasing liver cancer burden.”

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