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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Aug 1.
Published in final edited form as: Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2016 Jul 16;29:77–89. doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2016.07.005

Figure 3. Obesity and liver cancer.

Figure 3

The development of liver cancer in obese patients is associated with chronic liver damage and NAFLD. Obesity leads to an accumulation of triglycerides in the liver (hepatic steatosis), which leads to increased free fatty acids and other lipid metabolites and in turn to hepatocyte cell death and regeneration. This process is associated with liver inflammation. Upregulation of leptin and down regulation of ATG7 result in decreased autophagy that leads to increased inflammation and oxidative stress. Gut dysbiosis and endotoxemia leads to increased inflammation. Cycles of liver damage and regeneration and the associated inflammation creates a microenvironment that promotes the development liver cancer.