**2.1 Cirrhosis**

Most patients with HCC have underlying liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is therefore considered a major risk factor for HCC [8, 11, 12]. Although macronodular cirrhosis is considered as a higher risk for HCC than micronodular cirrhosis, cirrhotic liver can create HCC for any reason [13]. Cirrhosis also has a geographical distribution, the etiology of cirrhosis is chronic viral hepatitis in Asian countries, and nonviral causes in European and American countries [14]. Despite this known association between cirrhosis and HCC, HCC also develops from the noncirrhotic liver [15–17].
