Metabolic syndrome doubles the risk of liver cancer

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Dr. Jonathan

A sound personalized strategy for eating, exercise and evidence-based supplementation to support healthy insulin regulation decreases the risk for a host of diseases. A paper just published in the journal Hepatology identifies metabolic syndrome as a major risk factor for liver cancer. The authors state:

“Incidence rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have increased in the United States. Metabolic syndrome is recognized as a risk factor for HCC and a postulated one for ICC. The magnitude of risk, however, has not been investigated on a population level in the United States. We therefore examined the association between metabolic syndrome and the development of these cancers.”

They examined the data for 3649 HCC cases and 743 ICC cases in comparison with 195,953 control subjects for the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (taking into consideration other risk factors for HCC (hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, etc) and ICC (biliary cirrhosis, cholangitis, hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, etc). What did the data show?

“Metabolic syndrome was significantly more common among persons who developed HCC and ICC than the comparison group. In adjusted multiple logistic regression analyses, metabolic syndrome remained significantly associated with increased risk of HCC (odds ratio = 2.13) and ICC (odds ratio = 1.56).”

In other words, the adjusted odds ratio for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was 213% (more than double) and 56% for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). And very significantly, 43% of the patients with liver cancer had no other previously established risk factors for it. Considering that both HCC and ICC are on the increase, the authors’ conclusion is notable:

“Metabolic syndrome is a significant risk factor for development of HCC and ICC in the general U.S. population.”

Coffee protects against fatty liver disease

Posted on March 28, 2010 by Dr. Jonathan

There seems to be one study after another about the benefits of coffee. This paper just published in the journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences verifies that coffee protects against Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), the most common cause of non-infectious hepatitis and a growing cause of liver failure. I very often see elevated liver enzymes on laboratory tests; no wonder, since this is commonly fueled by insulin resistance. The authors of this study began by observing…

“The benefits of coffee on abnormal liver biochemistry, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma have been reported…this study aims to investigate if coffee use has any relationship with bright liver, measured by ultrasound bright liver score (BLS), in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and which relationship, if any, is present with BMI and insulin resistance.”

‘Bright liver’ refers to the appearance of a fatty liver on ultrasound imaging, and a higher BLS measurement means more fat deposits in the liver. What did they find?

“Less fatty liver involvement is present in coffee vs. non-coffee drinkers. Odds ratios show that obesity, higher insulin resistance, lower HDL cholesterol, older age and arterial hypertension are associated with a greater risk of more severe BLS; to the contrary, coffee drinking is associated with less severe BLS…Coffee use is inversely associated with the degree of bright liver, along with insulin resistance and obesity…”

Their conclusion is similar to numerous other studies:

“A possible opposite, if not antagonistic, role of coffee with regard to overweightness and insulin resistance, similar to that reported in hepatocarcinoma and cirrhosis, is envisaged in the natural history of NAFLD.”

Coffee drinking reduces liver cancer risk

Posted on November 9, 2009 by Dr. Jonathan

This meta-analysis published in the journal Hepatology evaluates several studies that suggest there is a reduction of risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC = liver cancer) from drinking coffee. The authors conclude: “The present analysis provides evidence that the inverse relation between coffee and HCC is real…”

Cancer & Type 2 Diabetes

Posted on October 20, 2009 by Dr. Jonathan

In this cohort study of 9577 people followed over eleven years, “significantly increased risks were observed for pancreatic, liver and colon cancer” in patients with type 2 diabetes. This is one among numerous studies demonstrating the links between insulin as a proliferating hormone, type 2 diabetes and a variety of malignancies.