Risk Factors of Hepatocellular Carcinomas Developed on Non-fibrotic Liver: Case-control Study (NoFlic Study)

Most hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicates cirrhosis, which is often caused by infection with hepatitis B or C viruses, alcohol, obesity, exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) or hemochromatosis. Nevertheless, 10 to 40% of HCCs can develop on non-cirrhotic terrain and about 5% on nonfibrotic liver (NfHCC). In 20 to 40% of these NfHCCs, no classical HCC risk factor is identified. Some cases could be the result of a transformation of an adenoma. Others may be associated with yet non-formally identified toxins and / or a specific genetic predisposition. While there is a lot of data on alterations of signaling pathways (ß-catenin, AKT / mTOR, Ras / pERK, etc.) in "classical" HCCs, altered pathways remain unknown in most NfHCCs, even in some cases, activation of β-catenin, inactivating mutations of HNF1 or activators of gp130 have been shown. A specific study of NfHCCs, rather rare cancers, represents an opportunity to look for directly carcinogenic factors in the absence of cirrhosis, and to dissect the involved carcinogenesis pathways.

Inclusion criteria

• CASES: patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of NfHCC with anatomopathological examination and showing a HCC according to standard histopathological criteria and an absence of significant fibrosis in non-tumoral tissues with the METAVIR system score or equivalent (F0 or F1) or the Kleiner et al stage of ASH and NASH (≤stade 2); signed informed consent; affiliated or beneficiary of a social security system
• CONTROLS: patients aged 18 years and older without NfHCC at baseline; patients for whom an endoscopy is programmed as part of an assessment of intestinal functional disorders, dyspeptic disorders or screening colonoscopy or hospitalized patients in orthopedic surgery / traumatology or rheumatology departments; signed informed consent; affiliated or beneficiary of a social security system

Exclusion criteria

• CASES: HCC diagnosed without pathological examination; hepatic transplantation before the diagnosis of HCC; patients unable to answer questions; patients who do not speak French or live abroad.
• CONTROLS: History of liver cancer; other cancers under treatment except cutaneous cancers; Colonoscopy indicated in case of familial form of colon cancer; patient with cirrhosis; patients unable to answer questions; patients who do not speak French or live abroad; Relationship or same home with the case