Overview of screening methods for fatty liver disease in children

The prevalence of obesity and obesity related comorbidities including diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been rising globally. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is emerging as a common liver disease among adults which can lead to the eventua development of complications including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. With the rise of obesity in children, the development of detection methods for the presence of NAFLD is becoming imperative. Although the gold standard for diagnosis is liver biopsy, practica issues limit pediatric use and warrant development of noninvasive or minimally invasive screening tools for the detection and staging of NAFLD. A variety of diagnostic methods have been studied including use aminotransferases, imaging studies and serologic markers which have some population-based limitations. Additional factors such as gender and ethnicity may also play a role in the screening of NAFLD in pediatric population studies.

Screening strategy for gastrointestinal and hepatopancreatobiliary cancers in cystic fibrosis

Based on systematic review and meta-analysis,the risk for developing cancers in patients with cystic fibrosis(CF)is known to be significantly greater than in the general population,including site-specific cancers of the esophagus,small bowel,colon,liver,biliary tract,and pancreas.An even higher risk has been found in patients who have severe CF transmembrane conductance regulator(CFTR)genotypes or who have undergone organ transplantation and are immunosuppressed.The risk continues to rise as life expectancies steadily climb due to advancements in medical care and treatment for CF.The colorectal cancer risk is at such a high level that CF has now been declared a hereditary colon cancer syndrome by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.The CFTR gene has been stronglyassociated with the development of gastrointestinal(GI)cancers and mortality in the CF population.Even CF carriers have shown an increased rate of GI cancers compared to the general population.Several limitations exist with the reported guidelines for screening of GI and hepatopancreatobiliary cancers in the CF population,which are largely universal and are still emerging.There is a need for more precise screening based on specific risk factors,including CFTR mutation,medical co-morbidities(such as gastroesophageal reflux disease,distal intestinal obstruction syndrome,and diabetes mellitus),familial risks for each cancer,gender,age,and other factors.In this review,we propose changes to the guidelines for GI screening of patients with CF.With the development of CFTR modulators,additional studies are necessary to elucidate if there is an effect on cancer risk.