Tumor Incidence in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

BACKGROUND: The incidence of cancer is increasing worldwide. The role of comorbidities in this development is debated. The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) for the incidence of cancer of various kinds in Germany. METHODS: Between 2000 and 2015, data on 31 587 patients with established NAFLD were collected for analysis. A control group (n = 31 587) assembled for comparison was matched for sex, age, treating physician, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). RESULTS: By 10 years after the index date, 15.3% of patients with NAFLD and 13.4% of patients in the control group had been diagnosed with cancer (p