About 5-6% of people living in West Europe and Northern America and over 15% of inhabitants of Asia, Africa and South America are affected by various forms of liver diseases. The prevalence of these diseases in Eastern Europe and in Mediteranean area is intermediated (about 10%).
The liver is exposed to a wide variety of insults and is therefore one of the most frequently damaged organs in the body.Inflammation may be caused by infection (especially viral infection), exposure to toxin (including alcohol and drugs) or autoimmune reactions.
Cirrhosis is a possible endpoint of many chronic liver diseases, since inflammation and cell death eventually yield to fibrosis or scar formation. Patients with cirrhosis can have shortened life spans and many cirrhotics are at risk for decompensation and hepatic failure as well as the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (3-4% yearly).

The following figures show examples of a normal, cirrhotic and cirrhotic with hepatocarcinoma liver: