I found my husband's liver biopsy results...

[heart2heart]

I know you folks aren't doctors but maybe someone could shed some light on my husband's prognosis. They did a liver biopsy in '05 here's the synopsis: Liver with nonspecific reactive hepatitis, moderate fatty change and pericentral venous fibrosis.  There is more and it goes on to say 'Fatty change and pericentral venous fibrosis may be seen with alcohol use'. My husband has not drank alcohol for over 20 years now, we don't even have wine during the holidays. He also has Hep B antigens but his ALT AST was low. Nothing is being done for him. I am not sure he can get life/medical insurance based on this biopsy report (in '05) What do you all think? Can this fatty liver/fibrosis turn into cancer??  

[jmjm530]

If not already, his liver condition should probably be periodically monitored by a liver specialist (hepatologist). Here's a post (see link below) by a doctor regarding "fatty changes to the liver". While the doctor concludes that fatty liver is "usually not progressive and does not cause serious illness", I have read that indeed fatty liver can end up causing serious problems, but we're not doctors here, so something to run by a good liver specialist who will have the benefit of your husband's history. Certainly, there are some factors with fatty liver under you control such as being overweight, diabetes, high triglicerides, etc, that can be treated either with lifestyle and/or medications. That's something you both should seriously consider if relevant. Here's a link to the doctor's response:

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/gastro/archive/3907.html

[Pdilly]

Some medications can cause fatty liver as well.  A friend of mine son took lots of steriods for asthma...he now has a fatty liver.   I did check and she was right lots of steriods can cause that.  Anyway Jim has given you a good site to go to.  Good luck!

[heart2heart]

Nope, he doesn't take any medications, never has. He is perfectly healthy except for his darn liver, no diabetes, not really overweight -( maybe by a few pounds, but aren't we all?) It's all a mystery.  My guess is he was drinking decades ago when he had active Hep B and it was like throwing gasoline into the fire. Now he's stuck with a bum liver.