New trends in hepatocellular carcinoma

This review discusses the etiological association of hepatitis C virus with hepatocellular carcinoma and recent progress in the understanding of early histopathological changes that occur in cirrhotic livers leading to hepatocarcinogenesis. In some parts of the world (for example Japan) hepatitis C virus infection is becoming a more important etiological factor in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma than infection with hepatitis B virus. Biopsy-proven adenomatous hyperplasia often progresses to hepatocellular carcinoma and adenomatous hyperplasia should be treated as a potentially malignant lesion.