Controlling cholesterol entry into mitochondria,a key step for hepatocarcinogenesis in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the sixth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide(1).Unfortunately,the incidence and mortality of HCC are increasing steadily in formerly low-risk countries(2).Although the contribution of patients infected with hepatitis B virus(HBV)and hepatitis C virus(HCV)has dramatically decreased due to the use of highly effective antiviral agents,increasing epidemiologic evidence indicates a link between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and the risk of HCC(1).It is important to highlight that the prevalence of NAFLD has increased in parallel with the obesity,metabolic syndrome,and type 2 diabetes mellitus pandemic.Among patients with NAFLD,the incidence of HCC is around 0.44 per 1,000 person-years(3).