Fatty diet may increase liver cancer risk

A diet high in fat may do more than damage the liver through fat buildup and inflammation.

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New research suggests it can reprogramme liver cells in ways that quietly increase their risk of turning cancerous, helping explain why fatty liver disease so often precedes liver cancer.The study, led by researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, found that prolonged exposure to a high-fat diet pushes mature liver cells into a survival mode that comes with long-term consequences. In this state, liver cells abandon their specialised roles and revert to a more primitive, stem-cell-like identity that helps them withstand metabolic stress but increases vulnerability to tumour formation.