Simple fatty liver (the initial stage of fatty liver) → Steatohepatitis → Liver fibrosis → Cirrhosis → Liver cancer.
Stage 1: Simple Fatty Liver
Simple fatty liver occurs when the body ingests or synthesizes too much fat, which accumulates in liver cells, making them fat. Most patients are in this stage, with basically normal liver function. Ultrasound and/or CT scans indicate mild to moderate fatty liver.
Stage 2: Steatohepatitis
Fat continues to accumulate, occupying the space and nutrients of liver cells, causing liver cells to degenerate and die, leading to liver inflammation.
Stage 3: Liver Fibrosis/Cirrhosis
Fat continues to accumulate, further damaging liver cells, causing more degeneration, death, and inflammation, progressing to liver fibrosis or cirrhosis.
Stage 4: Liver Cancer
Cirrhosis continues to develop. With additional high-risk factors, liver cells may proliferate abnormally, potentially leading to liver cancer. Although the probability of simple fatty liver progressing to cirrhosis and liver cancer is low, the following conditions increase the risk:
1. Coexisting diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, etc., increase the risk of liver cancer.
2. People with hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, the elderly, and severely obese individuals are high-risk groups.
In addition, if fatty liver is not effectively controlled, progressing to moderate or severe fatty liver can cause severe liver damage and other organ dysfunction, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.