Hepatocellular carcinoma without cirrhosis in a patient with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

All cases of hepatocellular carcinoma reported thus for in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis have occurred on preexisting cirrhosis. We report the case of a 68-year-old male patient with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis who developed hepatocellular carcinoma in the absence of cirrhosis. This observation suggests a possible relationship between nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and/or excess body weight, and hepatocellular carcinoma independent of cirrhosis. Further epidemiological studies are needed to evaluate the incidence of this association.