Postgraduate Course
From NAFLD to liver cancer
Wed. 21 June, 8:30 – 18:45 CET
This year the Postgraduate Course will give you an overview of the molecular pathogenesis of NAFLD, NASH, and liver cancer. Through case studies learn more about risk factors, prevention, and treatment of NAFLD, and in various sessions, hear about techniques used to manage liver cancer in these patients. Access to the Postgraduate Course is included in your congress registration fee.
Welcome message
On behalf of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), we are delighted to welcome you to EASL Congress 2023 and especially to this Postgraduate Course (PGC) on “From NAFLD to liver cancer”.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has a global prevalence of 20-25% and is a major public health problem. Its incidence is increasing in parallel to the rise in obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Progression from NASH cirrhosis to NASH-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurs at a rate of ~1-2% of cases per year, and management of these patients is hampered by the presence of comorbidities.
The course will provide updates on the molecular pathogenesis, epidemiology, and management of NAFLD, NASH and NASH-HCC. We will first address the role of microenvironment in the development of these diseases, and the current impact of preventive strategies and drug therapies in NASH. Then, we tackle the main strategies of surveillance and diagnosis of liver cancer in patients with NASH cirrhosis and the criteria to be considered when treating HCC and cholangiocarcinoma with surgery, loco-regional, and systemic therapies.
The PGC is divided into four sessions on NAFLD, NASH, and the development and management of liver cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. The course concludes with a State-of-the-Art lecture on improving liver health in Europe. The PGC features plenty of interactivity. As delegates you will be able to participate in live polling and live voting. You are also encouraged to share your experience on Twitter, using the hashtags #EASLCongress, #LiverTwitter, and #NAFLD.
The organisers and the faculty wish you an enjoyable time at EASL Congress 2023, and we hope you find the course stimulating and informative. We look forward to seeing you in person in Vienna, Austria.
Postgraduate Course organisers
Bugianesi
Llovet
Newsome
Learning objectives
- Understand the importance of the molecular pathogenesis of NAFLD and NASH-HCC, and the key factors involved.
- Recognise the current burden of NAFLD, and the impact of preventive strategies and drug therapy.
- Promote the proper surveillance strategies for early detection of liver cancer in the setting of NAFLD patients.
- Understand how to manage early detection and diagnosis of liver cancer in the context of NAFLD.
- Understand the main treatment approaches that benefit patients with NASH- HCC, thus acknowledging the importance of comorbidities in the treatment with local therapies, and the impact of this etiology in the outcome with immunotherapies.
- Acknowledge the relevance of understanding the treatment strategies currently available for the management of cholangiocarcinoma in the setting of NAFLD.
Summary per session:
Unparalleled learning
Molecular pathogenesis of NAFLD, NASH and liver cancer
This session will provide and overview of the molecular pathogenesis of NAFLD, NASH, and the onset and progression of NASH-related HCC. In principle, special attention will be devoted to the molecular predisposition for the development of liver cancer and the role of the microenvironment and immune system.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
In this session, we will review the latest evidence regarding the epidemiology, natural history, preventive strategies and drug therapies for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Improving lifestyle is a cornerstone of the management of these patients. A very active drug development programme for NASH will be presented, as will alternative treatments, such as endoscopic strategies and bariatric surgery.
Surveillance and diagnosis of HCC in NAFLD patients
Patients with NAFLD have a specific predisposition to develop liver cancer. This session will provide the rationale for engaging in surveillance programmes and the main strategies to achieve a correct diagnosis and staging of liver cancer, considering the limitations of some imaging techniques in patients with fatty liver disease.
Management of HCC and cholangiocarcinoma in patients with NAFLD
This session will address the unique nature of NAFLD/NASH as the underlying etiology of liver cancer. We will address the importance of comorbidities in approaching the patients with NASH with surgical therapies of local ablation. In addition, we will tackle the current knowledge on the impact of ethology in response to immunotherapies, particularly in HCC. Finally, we will provide an up-to-date overview of the new advances in the management of cholangiocarcinoma.
The PGC will close with a State-of-the-art lecture on “Improving liver health in Europe: the EASL – Lancet Commission initiative”, that will summarise the important conclusions reached in this EASL-driven task force.
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