Liver Cancer News and Research

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Liver cancer is more common in older people. Over half of people newly diagnosed with liver cancer are age 65 and over. Liver cancer is more common in men than in women. Liver cancer rates are highest among Asians and Pacific Islanders, most likely because of higher prevalence of viral Hepatitis infection. Liver cancer rates are lower among whites than Blacks or Asians and Pacific Islanders. At this time, we do not know exactly what causes cancer of the liver. There are several different types of liver cancer. The most common type is associated with long-term excessive alcoholic beverage use, scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), and Hepatitis B virus or Hepatitis C virus infection. Long-term use of anabolic steroids can also increase the risk of getting liver cancer. Smoking is also believed to increase the risk of getting liver cancer.

NCI panel recommends Celsion's Phase III ThermoDox HEAT Study as Priority Clinical Trial for HCC

Celsion Corporation announced today that the consensus recommendations of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Clinical Trials Planning Meeting (CTPM) for Hepatocellular Carcinoma have been released and published in the August 2010 issue of Journal of Clinical Oncology, the official publication of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). In addition to evaluating the current standard of care, the NCI panel also recommended Celsion's Phase III ThermoDox ® HEAT Study as a Priority Clinical Trial for HCC.

4 Aug 2010

Celsion reports net loss of $2.6M for second-quarter 2010

Celsion Corporation, a biotechnology drug development company, today announced financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010 and addressed the progression of the clinical trials of ThermoDox, Celsion's heat activated liposomal encapsulation of doxorubicin. ThermoDox is currently being evaluated in the Phase III HEAT trial for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and in a Phase I/II trial for patients with recurrent chest wall breast cancer.

3 Aug 2010

New trend in management of post-liver transplantation biliary strictures

Endoscopic intervention has emerged to become the first line treatment for benign biliary strictures following liver transplantation. The current endoscopic approach involves repetitive dilatation of the stricture and placement of multiple large-diameter parallel plastic stents with frequent stent exchange to prevent biliary infection.

3 Aug 2010

VBDS secondary to nevirapine use in HIV-positive, pregnant female: Report

Vanishing bile duct syndrome refers to a group of disorders characterized by destruction and disappearance of intrahepatic (inside the liver) bile ducts. Multiple causes have been identified including infections, malignancies, autoimmune conditions and adverse effects of medications. The usual course of this condition is variable and many patients with VBDS respond to treatment of the underlying condition and/ or removal of the offending agent. However, others progress to cirrhosis and end stage liver disease requiring liver transplantation.

31 Jul 2010

Exposure of mBM-MSCs to VPA increases hepatic differentiation

Recent studies suggest that MSCs possess a greater differentiation potential than once thought and several hepatic differentiation protocols from bone marrow cells have been established. However, the incidence of bone marrow-derived hepatocytes was low. Moreover, a long culture period is needed in most cases.

31 Jul 2010

Patients with malignant gastrointestinal disease show high prevalence of malnutrition

Malnutrition is an important factor, influencing both morbidity and recovery after surgery. The early detection of nutritional risk would allow early intervention, which may prevent later complications. A traditional nutritional assessment often includes dietary and medical evaluations to identify significant weight loss over time, significantly low or high body weight(BW), skinfold thickness, serum nutritional factor levels and functional measurements of muscle strength.

31 Jul 2010

Galangin mediates apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through mitochondrial pathway: Study

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, particularly in China. However, HCC remains one of the more difficult cancers to treat. It is important to screen for new anti-cancer drugs. A number of dietary compounds possess anti-cancer properties. These dietary compounds may modify the activity of specific targets that control cell proliferation and apoptosis. Galangin could inhibit the methoxyresorufin O-demethylase activity of CYP1A2, CYP1A1 and P-form phenolsulfotransferase.

31 Jul 2010

CD74 can serve as prognostic marker for colorectal cancer

CD74 is a protein that is expressed in and on cells of the immune system, such as B lymphocytes and antigen presenting cells. This protein is known for its function in facilitating antigen presentation enabling the immune response. Additionally, Professor Shachar's lab has previously shown that CD74 serves as a survival receptor on cells of the immune system, and that its stimulation by its natural ligand -migration inhibitory factor (MIF)- prevents apoptosis (self destruction) of these cells. It was shown that CD74 is markedly expressed on numerous tumors - hematologic as well as epithelial, and can serve as a prognostic marker. CD74's expression and function on colon intestinal epithelial cells is controversial.

31 Jul 2010

Microsulis launches Acculis percutaneous microwave tissue ablation system at ECIO

Microsulis Medical Ltd (MML), the leading company in microwave technology for medical devices, has successfully launched the Acculis percutaneous microwave tissue ablation system, Accu2i pMTA, at the second European Conference on Interventional Oncology (ECIO) in Florence, Italy. A revolutionary new device for destroying tumours, the system is a 1.8mm diameter closed water-cooled needle, with performance matching the existing Acculis open surgery MTA system.

31 Jul 2010

Functional MRI can be used to assess tumor viability

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (the disease commonly referred to as pancreatic cancer) carries the worst prognosis of any cancer. As current treatments offer minimal benefit, entirely new approaches are needed. Given the success of local therapies, as opposed to intravenous systemic therapies, for liver diseases (such as hepatocellular carcinoma), it is thought that similar local therapies may benefit patients with pancreatic cancer. To develop such therapies, it would be useful to devise targets that are easy to obtain and can indicate the efficacy of these new therapies in models of pancreatic cancer.

31 Jul 2010

Intercept signs CRADA with NIDDK for study of obeticholic acid in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for chronic fibrotic and metabolic diseases, today announced the signing of a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health to conduct a double blind, multi-center, study to evaluate the effects of obeticholic acid in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

28 Jul 2010

Researchers establish new criteria for liver transplantation

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco propose that treatments used on liver cancers beyond the established Milan criteria for liver transplantation may be appropriate for all patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who are listed for transplantation. Full details appear in the August issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

28 Jul 2010

Merck signs non-exclusive license agreement with LabCorp for commercialization of genetic test

Merck announced a non-exclusive license agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings for the commercialization of a genetic test that may help predict the response of patients with Hepatitis C virus infection to peginterferon alpha-based therapy.

28 Jul 2010

BioImagene collaborates with ten new academic medical centers to develop digital pathology solutions

BioImagene, Inc., the leading provider of innovative digital pathology solutions has added ten new academic medical centers to its roster of collaborators during the last quarter. Many of these collaborators have been named "America's Best Hospitals 2010-2011: The Honor Roll" by U.S. News and World Report.

28 Jul 2010

Can-Fite's CF102 decreases HCV viral load in liver cancer patients

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd, a biotechnology company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange reported today that a significant decrease in HCV viral load was detected in 3 patients with liver cancer who are treated daily orally with CF102. The company is studying CF102 as a treatment for liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC). The results announced today relate to data which came out of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of CF102 in the treatment of patients with advanced HCC.

26 Jul 2010

Onyx reports positive results from carfilzomib Phase 2b 003-A1 study in multiple myeloma

Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced positive top-line results from the Phase 2b 003-A1 study of single-agent carfilzomib, a selective, next generation proteasome inhibitor, in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.

26 Jul 2010

NVHR releases statement on New York Times article 'Hope against Hepatitis C'

In response to today's New York Times article, "Hope against Hepatitis C," Andrew Muir, M.D., M.H.S., Director, Gastroenterology/Hepatology Research, Duke Clinical Research Institute and Steering Committee Member of the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) released the following statement:

23 Jul 2010

Achillion nominates ACH-2928 NS5A clinical candidate for treatment of HCV

Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in the discovery and development of treatments for the most challenging infectious diseases, today announced the nomination of a lead clinical candidate in its fourth proprietary program against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The candidate, ACH-2928, is an NS5A inhibitor that in preclinical studies has demonstrated excellent potency against HCV RNA replication, as well as good pharmacokinetic and safety profiles.

22 Jul 2010

Onyx begins Phase 3 trial of carfilzomib in combination with lenalidomide, dexamethasone for relapsed myeloma

Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the company has begun enrollment in the ASPIRE trial, a Phase 3 international clinical trial evaluating carfilzomib in combination with lenalidomide (Revlimid®) and low dose dexamethasone in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma. The company has an agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) and received Scientific Advice from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on the design and planned analysis of the ASPIRE trial.

22 Jul 2010

Aegera reports data from Phase 1 portion of combination AEG35156 Phase 1-2 study for primary liver cancer

Aegera Therapeutics Inc. released today encouraging survival data from the Phase 1 portion of its Phase 1-2 Study of the novel targeted therapeutic, AEG35156, given in combination with sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer).

20 Jul 2010

Liver Cancer News and Research

Further Reading

NCI panel recommends Celsion's Phase III ThermoDox HEAT Study as Priority Clinical Trial for HCC

Celsion reports net loss of $2.6M for second-quarter 2010

New trend in management of post-liver transplantation biliary strictures

VBDS secondary to nevirapine use in HIV-positive, pregnant female: Report

Exposure of mBM-MSCs to VPA increases hepatic differentiation

Patients with malignant gastrointestinal disease show high prevalence of malnutrition

Galangin mediates apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through mitochondrial pathway: Study

CD74 can serve as prognostic marker for colorectal cancer

Microsulis launches Acculis percutaneous microwave tissue ablation system at ECIO

Functional MRI can be used to assess tumor viability

Intercept signs CRADA with NIDDK for study of obeticholic acid in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Researchers establish new criteria for liver transplantation

Merck signs non-exclusive license agreement with LabCorp for commercialization of genetic test

BioImagene collaborates with ten new academic medical centers to develop digital pathology solutions

Can-Fite's CF102 decreases HCV viral load in liver cancer patients

Onyx reports positive results from carfilzomib Phase 2b 003-A1 study in multiple myeloma

NVHR releases statement on New York Times article 'Hope against Hepatitis C'

Achillion nominates ACH-2928 NS5A clinical candidate for treatment of HCV

Onyx begins Phase 3 trial of carfilzomib in combination with lenalidomide, dexamethasone for relapsed myeloma

Aegera reports data from Phase 1 portion of combination AEG35156 Phase 1-2 study for primary liver cancer

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Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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