Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a β-Thalassemia Intermedia Patient: Yet Another Case in the Expanding Epidemic.

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with thalassemia is increasing, the two well recognized HCC risk factors in thalassemia being iron overload and chronic hepatitis C. The carcinogenicity of iron is related to its induction of oxidative damage, whereas chronic hepatitis leads to necroinflammation that can accelerate progression to HCC. We hereby report the case of a non transfused, hepatitis C-negative, β-thalassemia intermedia (β-TI) patient from our practice who had evidence of significant iron overload, suggesting the importance of increased iron burden as a HCC risk factor in this patient population.

Insights into the diagnosis and management of iron deficiency in inflammatory bowel disease.

Iron deficiency is a frequent comorbidity of chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease that can severely impact the health and quality of life of affected individuals. It can exist as a silent condition and manifest in non-specific symptoms even in the absence of anemia. Even though iron deficiency anemia is the most common complication and extra-intestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease, the majority of inflammatory bowel disease patients who are diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia are not treated.