Xia & He Publishing Inc.

Helicobacter pylori infection, present in approximately 50% of the global population, is a major cause of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and gastric cancer. Over the past three decades, highly effective regimens have been established for the eradication of H. pylori infection.

Liver fibrosis is a common pathological consequence of chronic liver diseases, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, viral hepatitis, alcohol-related liver disease, cholestatic liver disease, and autoimmune liver disease. It is characterized by excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation and progressive remodeling of hepatic architecture.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy, with most cases arising from precancerous adenomatous and serrated polyps, and it represents one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Established risk factors for conventional adenomas and CRC include age, male sex, family history, obesity, physical inactivity, and red meat intake, as well as cigarette smoking, which has been consistently associated with an increased risk of colorectal adenomas and cancer.

Immunosuppression-related hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation has received increasing clinical attention because of the widespread use of potent immunosuppressive agents, including chemotherapeutic drugs, molecularly targeted therapies, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. HBV reactivation occurs in 20%–70% of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and can lead to severe hepatitis, liver failure, and death.

Viral hepatitis caused by hepatitis A to E viruses remains a leading global cause of acute liver failure, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally launched the global strategy for viral hepatitis elimination, aiming to eliminate viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030 by reducing new infections by 90% and virus-related mortality by 65% compared with the 2015 baseline.

Upper gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas, comprising esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and gastric cancer (GC), remain among the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide despite substantial advances in endoscopic imaging, surgical techniques, and systemic therapies. The poor prognosis associated with both malignancies is largely attributable to delayed diagnosis, as early-stage disease is frequently asymptomatic, and many patients present with locally advanced or metastatic cancer.

Curative hepatectomy is a primary treatment for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is also performed in selected patients whose tumors exceed the “up-to-7” criterion, defined as a sum of the number of tumors and maximum tumor diameter (cm) greater than 7. However, more than 70% of patients with HCC who undergo curative resection experience recurrence within 5 years. Patients treated for recurrent disease with repeat resection or ablation may subsequently experience further recurrence.

Intracranial aneurysms are characterized by abnormal focal dilation of the intracranial arterial wall and affect approximately 3.2% of the general population worldwide. Rupture results in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, which remains associated with substantial mortality and long-term morbidity. Over the past three decades, endovascular treatment has become a major therapeutic strategy for both ruptured and unruptured aneurysms, supported by landmark randomized and long-term follow-up data.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, has emerged as the most prevalent chronic liver disorder worldwide, affecting approximately 30% of the global population. Driven by the increasing prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome, MASLD has become a major contributor to liver-related morbidity and mortality.

Cirrhosis is an important cause of mortality among patients with chronic liver disease, accounting for 1 million deaths every year globally. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major cause of cirrhosis worldwide. Portal hypertension, the major complication of cirrhosis, is the pivotal mechanism driving the transition from compensated to decompensated cirrhosis, defined by the presence of ascites, variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, or hepatorenal syndrome.