Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Extrahepatic Cancers

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common chronic liver disease globally, and its high prevalence underscores the central role of metabolic dysregulation in its pathogenesis. Recent epidemiological studies have shown that MASLD is associated not only with hepatocellular carcinoma but also with an increased risk of several extrahepatic malignancies, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic, thyroid, breast, endometrial, renal, and prostate cancers. This review summarizes the emerging epidemiological links between MASLD and these extrahepatic cancers and discusses the biological mechanisms that may underlie these associations. We aim to describe both shared and organ-specific pathogenic pathways, highlight the importance of viewing MASLD as a systemic metabolic disorder in cancer prevention and clinical management, and outline future research directions from both conceptual and clinical perspectives. Future efforts should focus on biomarker development, multidisciplinary collaboration, and interventions targeting metabolic pathways.