Originally published on 10/1/25

Researchers have recently created a blood test that can detect liver disease years before symptoms ever develop, helping pave the way for the diagnosis of diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer to appear much sooner than before. It’s called the Cirrhosis Outcome Risk Estimator (CORE) model, and news of its effectiveness was shared in The British Medical Journal (BMJ) on September 29. Here we break down what this new liver disease blood test means for you and your loved ones and how you can get it.

Liver disease is on the rise

Liver disease refers to chronic conditions that can severely damage the liver if left untreated, eventually leading to cirrhosis and ultimately liver failure. Common causes include hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and certain types of heart disease such as ischemia, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

“[Cirrhosis and liver cancer] are diseases that are growing increasingly common and that have a poor prognosis if detected late,” explains lead researcher Rickard Strandberg, of the Karolinska Institutet’s Department of Medicine in Sweden. “Our method can predict the risk of severe liver disease within 10 years and is based on three simple routine blood tests.”

His colleague, researcher Hannes Hagström, added “This is an important step towards being able to offer early screening for liver disease in primary care.” 

What to know about the new liver disease blood test

The new liver disease blood test CORE was tested on more than 480,000 Swedes who had health checks between 1985 and 1996. Researchers then followed them for up to 30 years, and saw that during that time, only 1.5 percent of them developed severe liver disease.

To detect the disease, scientists created a model that analyzes the results of tests that measure the levels of three key liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT), all of which are normally tested during routine checkups. Healthcare providers can then plug these liver function test results—along with a patient’s age and sex—into the CORE model to determine their risk for severe liver disease within the next 10 years.

Why this blood test model is a breakthrough for liver disease

“The new CORE model represents an exciting and much-needed advancement in predicting the 10-year risk of liver cirrhosis in the general population. The model utilizes easily-obtained liver lab tests to determine a patient’s risk,” notes Jennifer Brown, a board-certified Obesity Medicine doctor at MyObesityTeam. “Currently, there is no reliable way to screen the general population for liver cirrhosis.”

The new blood test model is vastly different from the Fibrosis-4 score, which includes AST, ALT and platelet count—most medical professionals currently use to detect liver disease. 

“Primary care hasn’t had the tools to detect the risk of severe liver disease in time,” noted researcher Hagström. “FIB-4 is not suited for the general population and is less effective at predicting the future risk of severe liver disease.”

Liver disease symptoms you shouldn’t ignore 

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 4.5 million adults currently live with some form of liver disease. It is also the ninth most common cause of death in America. Dr. Brown explains that common symptoms of liver disease include:

• Yellowing of the skin or eyes
• Pain on the upper right side of the abdomen
• Fatigue
• Chronic nausea
• Bruising easily
• Abdominal swelling

“Liver disease is often associated with viruses such as hepatitis C, as well as obesity and alcoholism,” says Dr. Brown. “For those with obesity-related liver disease, lifestyle changes and weight loss are the cornerstones of treatment. Cutting back on sugary beverages and ultraprocessed foods and staying physically active helps fight liver disease.” 

If you notice any symptoms of liver disease, you should consult with your primary care physician to confirm a diagnosis and discover what treatment options are right for you. 

Link to original: https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/liver-disease-blood-test-predicts-risk-up-to-10-years-early