Cancer prevention through better sleeping habits: the circadian clock and hepatocellular cancer

© Translational Cancer Research. All rights reserved. tcr.amegroups.com Transl Cancer Res 2017 The incidence of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) has been steadily increasing in the United States for the last several decades, and currently HCC constitutes the fastest growing cause of cancer deaths in the country. The majority of HCC occurs in the setting of chronic liver disease with viral infections [hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV)] and alcohol-related liver disease being the most common risk factors. Recently non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have been recognized as conditions predisposing to the development of end stage liver disease and HCC (1). It is estimated that in the next 10 years, NASH will become the leading indication for liver transplantation in the Western world (1-2).