Jiao J, Kwan SY, Sabotta CM, et al. - Hispanics in South Texas were analyzed for determining the connection between free fatty acids (FAs) and advanced liver fibrosis or HCC in this population. Researchers recorded 45 FAs in plasma of 116 individuals of the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort, 15 Hispanics with HCC and 56 first/second-degree relatives of Hispanics with HCC. Evaluation of liver fibrosis was done by FibroScan. In this population, findings showed that low plasma levels of very long chain (VLC) n-3 polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) and VLC saturated FAs were strongly related to advanced liver fibrosis and HCC. Connection of genetic factors with low levels of these FAs was also revealed.