From June 5-8, 2024, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting took place in the beautiful city of Milan, Italy. Over 7,000 liver disease experts from around the world attended this top-tier academic event. The conference covered a range of diseases including viral hepatitis, metabolic associated fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure, presenting the latest clinical research findings in the field. Among the participants, Professor Rui Huang's team from Peking University People's Hospital had two studies accepted for presentation as poster sessions. Their research found that the ratio of visceral fat area to subcutaneous fat area (VSR), sarcopenia, and muscle fat infiltration are independent predictors of liver-related mortality in cirrhosis patients. Additionally, loss of skeletal muscle mass is crucial in predicting liver-related mortality in cirrhosis patients. These findings suggest that actively managing body composition, particularly skeletal muscle mass and visceral and subcutaneous fat content, can help improve prognosis in cirrhosis patients.

On June 5, 2024, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting commenced in Milan, Italy, bringing together experts and scholars from the global hepatology field. The conference aimed to share the latest developments and trends in liver disease research, providing valuable references for future research and clinical practice. On the first day of the conference, Academician Gaojun Teng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the initiator of the China Diabetes and Liver Disease Management (CDLM) initiative, along with Xiaolong Qi, founder of CHESS and co-initiator of CDLM, presented a novel study. They introduced the DiabetesLiver Score, a non-invasive tool to assess advanced liver fibrosis in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients and predict liver-related adverse events.

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the recommended treatment for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and a viable option for early-stage HCC patients who cannot undergo curative treatments. However, the prognosis for TACE varies significantly among individuals, with objective response rates ranging from 40% to 80% and overall survival times from 13 to 48 months. Given the advancements in molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy for HCC, accurately predicting individual prognosis and identifying patients with poor prognosis is crucial for optimizing treatment choices and extending survival. On June 6, 2024, at the EASL Annual Meeting in Milan, Professor Guohong Han from Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital in China shared the latest clinical research. Their team developed a predictive model for TACE outcomes, helping guide treatment choices for intermediate HCC patients and improving their survival (Abstract No.: THU-475).

From June 5-8, 2024, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting was held in the cultural city of Milan, Italy. This premier academic event attracted over 7,000 hepatology professionals from around the world. During the conference, we had the privilege of interviewing the Chairman of this year’s conference, and current EASL Secretary-General, Professor Aleksander Krag. He shared key topics of the conference and the latest research advancements in hepatology. Professor Krag emphasized that metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has become the most widespread liver disease globally and highlighted the importance of drug development and policy cooperation in advancing liver disease treatment and management. He also discussed the challenges and future directions in liver disease research, encouraging collaboration and innovation in the field.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common and highly lethal malignancy, with its treatment methods continuously evolving. In recent years, immunotherapy has become a hotspot in liver cancer treatment. Recently, Professor Zhexiong Lian's team from Southern Medical University published a paper in the Journal of Hepatology, revealing the potential value of inhibiting OXCT1 activity in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) for treating HCC. The study found that high OXCT1 expression is closely associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. By inhibiting OXCT1, TAMs can be reprogrammed to an anti-tumor phenotype, enhancing the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells, thereby providing a new strategy for immunotherapy of liver cancer.