Steatotic liver disease (SLD) is a leading cause of disease globally and demands new therapeutic approaches to mitigate underlying metabolic dysregulation. Incretin-based therapies are emerging as a viable prospect to fulfil this unmet niche. A literature review to inform the evidence base for incretin focussed pharmacology in the metabolic liver diseases space and an informed commentary on unmet areas of need. Incretin-based therapeutics demonstrate multifarious benefits across the chronic metabolic disease spectrum with promising data across the continuum of pathology.
Pojsakorn Danpanichkul, Yanfang Pang, Tanuj Mahendru, Primrose Tothanarungroj, Luis Antonio Díaz, Juan Pablo Arab, Pimtawan Jatupornpakdee, Mark D. Muthiah, Kwanjit Duangsonk, Won-Mook Choi, Daniel Q. Huang, Donghee Kim, Mazen Noureddin, Karn Wijarnpreecha, Suthat Liangpunsakul, Amit G. Singal, Ju Dong Yang
Clin Mol Hepatol 2025;31(3):1058-1070. Published online April 11, 2025
Background/Aims Harmful alcohol use is a substantial contributor to liver diseases, liver cancer, and extrahepatic neoplasms. Patterns of alcohol consumption have shifted over recent decades. This study evaluates trends in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and alcohol-attributable cancers in the United States (US) from 2000 to 2021.
Methods Using the methodological framework of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, we analyzed trends in incidence, prevalence, and mortality from ALD and alcohol-attributable cancers in the US.
Results In 2021, there were 28,340 new cases of ALD, 227,730 prevalent cases, and 21,860 deaths attributed to ALD in the US. From 2000 to 2021, ALD incidence, prevalence, and mortality increased by 43%, 36%, and 79%, respectively. The age-standardized incidence and death rate of ALD rose disproportionately among females compared to males. For alcohol-attributable cancers, primary liver cancer, colorectal cancer, and esophageal cancer accounted for the largest share of deaths in 2021. Age-standardized death rates increased significantly for primary liver cancer (annual percent change [APC] 2.21%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.70–2.73%) and other pharyngeal cancer (APC 1.35%, 95% CI 1.08–1.62%).
Conclusions The burden of ALD is substantial and continues to rise in the US, with a particularly notable increase among females. Mortality from alcohol-attributable cancers is also increasing, mainly driven by primary liver cancer and pharyngeal cancer. However, system-wise, gastrointestinal cancer had the highest death attributable to alcohol. These findings highlight the urgent need for public health strategies to tackle ALD, primary liver cancer, and alcoholattributable extrahepatic malignancies.
Citations
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Advancing policy and practice in alcohol-associated liver disease and alcohol-attributable cancer: Correspondence to the editorial on “Sex disparities in alcohol-associated liver disease and subtype differences in alcohol-attributable cancers in the Unite Pojsakorn Danpanichkul, Donghee Kim, Karn Wijarnpreecha, Amit G. Singal, Ju Dong Yang Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2026; 32(1): e96. CrossRef
Rising burden of steatotic liver disease in women of childbearing age and projections to 2035 Youxin Wang, Ruiqiu Chen, Shi Yan Lee, Eunice X.X. Tan, Mark Muthiah, Zhou Yu, Margaret L.P. Teng, Jazleen Leo, Cheng Han Ng, Ashok Choudhury, Daniel Q. Huang JHEP Reports.2026; 8(1): 101646. CrossRef
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Clin Mol Hepatol 2025;31(2):525-547. Published online January 9, 2025
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.
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Background/Aims Cirrhosis is the most important risk factor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and patients with cirrhosis are recommended to receive semiannual surveillance for early HCC detection. However, early cirrhosis is often asymptomatic and can go undiagnosed for years, leading to underuse of HCC surveillance in clinical practice. We characterized the frequency and associated factors of unrecognized cirrhosis in a national sample of patients with HCC from the United States.
Methods HCC patients aged 68 years and older, diagnosed during 2011 to 2015 were included from the SEERMedicare Linked Database. If cirrhosis was diagnosed within 6 months immediately preceding HCC diagnosis or after HCC diagnosis, cases were categorized as unrecognized cirrhosis. Factors associated with unrecognized cirrhosis were identified using logistic regression analyses. Factors associated with overall survival were evaluated using Cox regression analyses.
Results Among 5,098 HCC patients, 74.8% patients had cirrhosis. Among those with cirrhosis, 57.4% had unrecognized cirrhosis, with the highest proportion (76.3%) among those with NAFLD-related HCC. Male sex (aOR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.83–2.46), non-Hispanic Black race (aOR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.45–2.57), and NAFLD etiology (aOR: 4.46, 95% CI: 3.68–5.41) were associated with having unrecognized cirrhosis. Among NAFLD-related HCC patients, male sex (aOR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.71–3.14) was associated with unrecognized cirrhosis. Unrecognized cirrhosis was independently associated with worse overall survival (aHR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.08–1.27) compared to recognized cirrhosis.
Conclusions Unrecognized cirrhosis is common in NAFLD-related HCC, particularly among male and Black patients, highlighting these groups as important intervention targets to improve HCC surveillance uptake and outcomes.
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