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Hepatic Fibro-inflammation Measured by MRI Iron-Corrected T1 Predicts Extrahepatic Cancer Risk: A UK Biobank Study.
Hye Yeon Chon1,2, Seok-Jae Heo3, SungA Bae1,4
1Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology
|June 9, 2026
Summary
Elevated iron-corrected T1 (cT1) levels, a liver MRI biomarker, are linked to a higher risk of developing cancers outside the liver. This suggests cT1 may indicate broader systemic disease processes.
Area of Science:
- Radiology and Imaging
- Oncology
- Hepatology
Background:
- Iron-corrected T1 (cT1) is an MRI-derived biomarker for hepatic fibro-inflammation.
- The association between elevated cT1 and extrahepatic malignancy risk is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between high cT1 values and the risk of developing extrahepatic malignancy.
- To assess cT1 as a potential predictor of cancer risk beyond liver-specific conditions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 24,003 cancer-free UK Biobank participants with liver MRI.
- Prospective assessment of incident extrahepatic malignancy over a median follow-up of 4.28 years.
- Multivariable Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard models were used, adjusting for covariates and accounting for competing risks.
Main Results:
- Higher cT1 was independently associated with increased extrahepatic cancer risk (HR, 1.116 per SD increase; P=0.005).
- Older age and male sex were also significant predictors of extrahepatic malignancy.
- Elevated cT1 (≥771 ms) was linked to a higher cumulative incidence of extrahepatic malignancy (6.1% vs. 4.6%; P=0.002).
Conclusions:
- Elevated cT1 is an independent predictor of future extrahepatic malignancy.
- cT1 may reflect systemic disease processes contributing to overall cancer risk.
- Further validation is needed for clinical application of cT1 in cancer risk assessment.
