Publication Name	World Journal of Gastroenterology
Manuscript ID	117785
Country	Australia

Category	Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Manuscript Type	Letter to the Editor
Article Title	Hepatocellular carcinoma in patients without cirrhosis: Urgent need to include Australasian populations
Manuscript Source	Unsolicited Manuscript
All Author List	Aparna Morgan, Angela Zhu, Nicholas Hannah, James Haridy, Ashok Raj and Neeraj Bhala
Funding Agency and Grant Number
Corresponding Author	Neeraj Bhala, Consultant, Director, FRACP, FRCP, FRCPE, Head, PhD, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Melbourne Hospital & The University of Melbourne, 300 Grattan St, Parkville VIC 3050, Melbourne 3050, Victoria, Australia. neeraj.bhala@mh.org.au
Key Words	Hepatocellular carcinoma; Non-cirrhotic; Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Australasia; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; Māori and Pasifika people
Core Tip	Global reviews of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that exclude Australasian data risk overlooking important epidemiological patterns. In Australia and New Zealand, non-cirrhotic HCC accounts for a substantial proportion of cases, driven predominantly by chronic hepatitis B and an increasing burden of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, particularly among Indigenous and migrant populations. Inclusion of Australasian data is essential for a truly comprehensive understanding of non-cirrhotic HCC risk and surveillance worldwide.
Citation	Morgan A, Zhu A, Hannah N, Haridy J, Raj A, Bhala N. Hepatocellular carcinoma in patients without cirrhosis: Urgent need to include Australasian populations. World J Gastroenterol 2026; In press

Received	2025-12-17 02:22
Peer-Review Started	2025-12-17 02:23
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-01-07 10:19
Return for Revision	2026-01-07 10:19
Revised	2026-01-20 09:24
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-01-29 02:33
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-01-29 06:50
Articles in Press	2026-01-29 06:50
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	1007-9327 (print) and 2219-2840 (online)
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