HCC in metabolic syndrome: current concepts and future directions

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths globally. In recent years, the metabolic syndrome epidemic is changing the etiological landscape of HCC, with metabolic liver disease comprising an exponentially increasing proportion of HCC cases. In this review, we discuss HCC in the context of metabolic syndrome, including its epidemiology, its unique clinical and pathological characteristics, and its multifactorial pathogenesis. We also discuss HCC prevention and management as relates to these patients.