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Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and the consequence of extra-hepatic malignancy
Benjamin Blaske, Michael Ward, Ragesh Babu Thandassery, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
Author contributions: Blaske B and Ward M contributed to manuscript writing; Thandassery RB contributed to concept, manuscript editing, final approval.
AI contribution statement: No AI support was used.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.
Corresponding author: Ragesh Babu Thandassery, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4300 W 7th St, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States. doc.ragesh@gmail.com
Received: June 9, 2026
Revised: July 9, 2026
Accepted: July 27, 2026
Published online: August 27, 2026
Processing time: 70 Days and 7.3 Hours
Revised: July 9, 2026
Accepted: July 27, 2026
Published online: August 27, 2026
Processing time: 70 Days and 7.3 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) confers increased risk of extra-hepatic malignancies spanning multiple organ systems, beyond its well-recognized association with hepatocellular carcinoma. Shared oncogenic pathways which include insulin resistance, chronic systemic inflammation, lipotoxicity, and gut dysbiosis, link MASLD to both gastrointestinal (GI) cancers (colorectal, pancreatic, esophagogastric, biliary) and non-GI cancers (breast, gynecologic, thyroid, urinary, lung). Globally, the burden and prevalence of MASLD is rising, with young-onset disease and advanced fibrosis as key risk amplifiers. Dedicated cancer surveillance protocols for MASLD populations are urgently needed.