18 Jan 2026 • Persistent metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) significantly increased cancer risk in young adults.

In a study of over 3.5 million adults aged 20–39 years followed for a median of 10.6 years, 2.7% developed cancer. Persistent disease raised overall cancer risk by 15% (HR 1.15), while newly developed MASLD was linked to a modest but significant increase (HR 1.03) versus no MASLD. No excess cancer risk was observed among those whose MASLD resolved.

Persistent MASLD was associated with a higher incidence of liver, pancreatic, colorectal, renal, biliary, and laryngeal cancers. Women with ongoing MASLD also showed elevated risks of uterine corpus, cervical, and ovarian cancers.

The findings position MASLD as a modifiable driver of early-onset cancer burden and underscore the potential impact of early identification and disease reversal in young adults.

Source: European Journal of Cancer | Read full story