Background/Aims: Alcohol represents a leading burden of disease worldwide, including alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD). We aim to assess the global burden of AUD, ALD, and alcohol-attributable primary liver cancer between 2000–2021. Methods: We registered the global and regional trends of AUD, ALD, and alcohol-related liver cancer using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 Study, the largest and most up-to-date global epidemiology database. We estimated the annual percent change (APC) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) to assess changes in age-standardized rates over time. Results: In 2021, there were 111.12 million cases of AUD, 3.02 million cases of ALD, and 132,030 cases of alcohol-attributable primary liver cancer. Between 2000 and 2021, there was a 14.66% increase in AUD, a 38.68% increase in ALD, and a 94.12% increase in alcohol-attributable primary liver cancer prevalence. While the age-standardized prevalence rate for liver cancer from alcohol increased (APC 0.59%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52 to 0.67%) over these years, it decreased for ALD (APC –0.71%; 95% CI –0.75 to –0.67%) and AUD (APC –0.90%; 95% CI –0.94 to –0.86%). There was significant variation by region, socioeconomic development level, and sex. During the last years (2019–2021), the prevalence, incidence, and death of ALD increased to a greater extent in females. Conclusions Given the high burden of AUD, ALD, and alcohol-attributable primary liver cancer, urgent measures are needed to prevent them at both global and national levels.

Background/Aims: Multi-society experts proposed the adoption of new terminology, metabolic dysfunctionassociated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and steatotic liver disease (SLD). We studied the current prevalence of SLD and its subcategories in the US. Methods: Using the recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2017 to 2023, we analyzed data from 12,199 participants (≥18 years) who completed transient elastography. SLD and its subcategories, including MASLD, metabolic and alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD), and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), were categorized according to consensus nomenclature. Results: The age-adjusted prevalence of SLD (cut-off: 285 dB/m) was 35.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 33.4–36.7). Within this category, the age-adjusted prevalence for MASLD was 31.9% (95% CI 30.4–33.4), MetALD 2.2% (95% CI 1.8–2.6), and ALD 0.8% (95% CI 0.6–1.1). The prevalence of SLD and MASLD showed a statistically insignificant decrease during COVID-19, while ALD increased without significance. In contrast, the prevalence of advanced fibrosis in SLD was significantly higher during the COVID-19 era, at 9.8% for 285 dB/m and 7.8% for 263 dB/m, compared to 7.4% (P=0.039) and 6% (P=0.041) in the pre-COVID-19 era. The proportion of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis in individuals with ALD was two-fold higher than MASLD and MetALD, largely due to increases during the COVID-19 era. Conclusions While the prevalence of SLD and its subcategories remained stable, there was a significant increase in advanced fibrosis among SLD individuals during the COVID-19 era, with ALD having a proportion of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis that was twice as high as MASLD and MetALD.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major global burden, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. HCC due to chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or C virus (HCV) infection has decreased due to universal vaccination for HBV and effective antiviral therapy for both HBV and HCV, but HCC related to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and alcohol-associated liver disease is increasing. Biannual liver ultrasonography and serum α-fetoprotein are the primary surveillance tools for early HCC detection among high-risk patients (e.g., cirrhosis, chronic HBV). Alternative surveillance tools such as blood-based biomarker panels and abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are being investigated. Multiphasic computed tomography or MRI is the standard for HCC diagnosis, but histological confirmation should be considered, especially when inconclusive findings are seen on cross-sectional imaging. Staging and treatment decisions are complex and should be made in multidisciplinary settings, incorporating multiple factors including tumor burden, degree of liver dysfunction, patient performance status, available expertise, and patient preferences. Early-stage HCC is best treated with curative options such as resection, ablation, or transplantation. For intermediate-stage disease, locoregional therapies are primarily recommended although systemic therapies may be preferred for patients with large intrahepatic tumor burden. In advanced-stage disease, immune checkpoint inhibitor-based therapy is the preferred treatment regimen. In this review article, we discuss the recent global epidemiology, risk factors, and HCC care continuum encompassing surveillance, diagnosis, staging, and treatments.

One-third of adults across the globe exhibit metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)―formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). To date, MASLD is the fastest-growing etiology of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Besides the population with obesity, MASLD can also be found in lean populations, accounting for 13% of the global population, especially Asians. Notably, individuals with lean MASLD face equal or higher overall mortality rates compared to their non-lean counterparts. Risk modifiers encompass advanced age, hepatic fibrosis, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Moreover, the population with lean MASLD is associated with an increased risk of HCC, while their non-lean counterparts are more prone to cardiovascular outcomes and T2DM. Existing evidence indicates a similar risk of liver-related events and extrahepatic cancer between the two groups. However, MASLD-related genetic variants, such as PNPLA3 and TM6SF2, did not significantly affect mortality between the two populations. Still, underreporting alcohol consumption and regional representation limits the study’s comprehensiveness. Longitudinal studies and mechanistic explorations are needed to understand differences in lean versus non-lean MASLD populations. This review highlights the need for awareness and tailored interventions in managing MASLD, considering lean individuals’ unique risks.