Dietary Patterns and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort and Case–control Studies

Globally, HCC presents a significant health burden, characterized by high incidence and mortality rates. Epidemiological studies have increasingly suggested a link between dietary patterns and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), yet consensus on this relationship remains elusive. This study aims to synthesize existing literature and provide a comprehensive analysis of the association between dietary patterns and HCC risk through meta-analytical methods. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases was conducted to identify studies examining common dietary patterns in relation to HCC, published up to August 2023. Study quality was rigorously evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. We employed a random effects model to synthesize effect sizes, calculating hazard ratios (HRs) and 95