Overview
- Researchers pooled 11 prospective cohort studies and reported their results on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, using data from 1,518,411 adults followed for a median 17.8 years.
- The analysis found each additional sugar-sweetened beverage per day was associated with a 10% higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and a 15% higher risk of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma while showing no link to overall liver cancer.
- Consumption of artificially sweetened beverages showed no significant association with total liver cancer or with the two subtypes after researchers adjusted for diabetes and body mass index.
- The study is observational and has clear limits: intake was mostly self-reported and often measured at a single timepoint, the analysis could not stratify by underlying liver disease such as MASLD or cirrhosis, and residual confounding means the findings cannot prove causation.
- Authors and commentators cited biologic pathways that could link sugary drinks to liver cancer—fructose-driven fat production in the liver, insulin resistance, obesity and microbiome changes—and advised that cutting sugar-sweetened beverages is a practical precaution alongside proven prevention measures like hepatitis vaccination and alcohol moderation.