Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Type 2 Diabetes: More Than Meets the Eye

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a disease with poor survival rates unless recognized and treated early, ranks as the fifth most common cancer worldwide and has a rising incidence in the United States. Recent data indicate that the growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus may contribute to this alarming trend. In this issue, Lai et al. utilize a large Taiwanese insurance claims database to demonstrate that diabetes is associated with an increased risk of HCC. Moreover, this risk escalates if diabetes coincides with chronic hepatitis C and cirrhosis. Lai et al. also show that treatment with metformin or thiazolidinediones may reduce the risk of HCC. The findings may prompt risk stratification for HCC surveillance and improved disease control in diabetes as measures of cancer prevention.