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.

Jennerex initiates JX-594 plus irinotecan Phase 1/2 trial in metastatic colorectal cancer

Jennerex, Inc., a private clinical-stage biotherapeutics company focused on the development and commercialization of first-in-class targeted oncolytic virus products for cancer, today announced that the first patient has been treated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of JX-594 in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have become refractory to chemotherapy and are either refractory to or ineligible for cetuximab.

20 Mar 2012

Chemists produce first high resolution structure of HCV viral RNA-inhibitor complex

Chemists at the University of California, San Diego have produced the first high resolution structure of a molecule that when attached to the genetic material of the hepatitis C virus prevents it from reproducing.

20 Mar 2012

EORTC, EASL publish first joint CPGs on management of hepatocellular carcinoma

The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) today publish their first joint Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) on the management of hepatocellular carcinoma.

16 Mar 2012

Linking HCV infected people with care is key to reducing related mortality and morbidity

Broader screening to identify people infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) would likely be cost effective, according to a new report published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

15 Mar 2012

Scientists identify new compound that quickly kills HCC cells

Scientists have identified a new compound that rapidly kills hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, the most common form of liver cancer and fifth most common cancer worldwide, while sparing healthy tissue.

15 Mar 2012

U-M to research into treatment for hepatitis C

The Greenview Foundation has announced a gift of $57,000 to the University of Michigan Health System to support research on a treatment for hepatitis C.

12 Mar 2012

Cancer rates to fall among men but slightly rise among women by 2020: Report

The report says that due to the growing and ageing population the actual number of new cases will rise by almost 40 per cent on 2007 levels. But when that's converted to the number of cases per 100,000 people the results are surprising. Cancer rates in men will fall from 595 to 568 cases per 100,000 by 2020. That equates to about 85,000 cases. When it comes to women the rate is projected to rise from 394 to 408 cases per 100,000. That's equivalent to 65,000 new cases in 2020.

11 Mar 2012

Induced hyperammonaemia increases daytime sleepiness in patients with cirrhosis

Italian and Swiss researchers confirm that induced hyperammonaemia significantly increases daytime sleepiness in patients with cirrhosis. The findings available in the March issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that higher blood levels of ammonia reduced the ability of cirrhotic patients to produce restorative sleep.

2 Mar 2012

Ultrasound-based TE more accurate in detecting hepatic fibrosis

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic confirm that ultrasound-based transient elastography (TE) provides excellent diagnostic accuracy for detecting cirrhosis due to recurrent infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection following liver transplantation.

1 Mar 2012

Can-Fite receives FDA Orphan Drug Status for CF102 to treat hepatocellular carcinoma

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd, a biotechnology company developing small molecule drugs for the treatment of inflammatory, and liver diseases, traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Status for its drug candidate, CF102, for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

23 Feb 2012

Onyx reports total operating revenue of $237.0M for fourth quarter 2011

Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported its financial results for the full year and fourth quarter 2011. Onyx reported non-GAAP net income of $42.0 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, for the full year 2011 compared to non-GAAP net income of $39.2 million, or $0.63 per diluted share, for the same period in 2010.

23 Feb 2012

Routine hepatitis C testing of the middle aged could save thousands of lives: CDC report

Increasing number of people are dying of damaged livers due to hepatitis C infection. Federal health officials are considering whether anyone born between 1945 and 1965 should get a one-time blood test to check if they are harboring the dangerous virus. Two-thirds of people with hepatitis C are in this age group, most unaware that a virus that takes a few decades to do its damage has festered since their younger days.

22 Feb 2012

Bristol-Myers Squibb awards 3 new grants to enhance HBV and HCV prevention, diagnosis and care

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation has awarded three new grants to improve prevention, diagnosis and care of hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) in China and India as part of its Delivering Hope: Awareness, Prevention and Care umbrella program which is committed to reducing hepatitis-related health disparities in Asia.

19 Feb 2012

Nordion celebrates first anniversary of market launch of TheraSphere

Nordion Inc., a leading provider of products and services to the global health science market, today celebrated the first anniversary of the market introduction of TheraSphere, an innovative radioembolic liver cancer therapy, in the Republic of Turkey.

17 Feb 2012

Cirrhosis patients with low musle mass more apt to die

Medical researchers at the University of Alberta reviewed the medical records of more than 100 patients who had a liver scarring condition and discovered those who were losing muscle were more apt to die while waiting for a liver transplant. These cirrhosis patients were placed at a lower spot on the transplant list because they had a higher functioning liver and were seemingly less sick than others with the same condition, based on scoring systems physicians commonly use today.

8 Feb 2012

Three new targeted drugs can lead to fatal cancer complications

Treatment with three relatively new "targeted" cancer drugs has been linked to a slightly elevated chance of fatal side effects, according to a new analysis led by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. They added that the risk remains low, but should be taken into account by physicians and patients.

7 Feb 2012

BioLineRx, Genoscience and RFS Pharma enter agreement for BL-8030 Hepatitis C treatment

BioLineRx, a biopharmaceutical development company, announced today it has signed a worldwide, exclusive license agreement with Genoscience and RFS Pharma to develop and commercialize BL-8030, an orally available treatment for Hepatitis C.

6 Feb 2012

Enrollment opens in sorafenib vs. radioembolization in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma trial

'SARAH' - a French national collaborative randomized controlled trial of radioembolization with yttrium-90 resin microspheres versus sorafenib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma is now open for recruitment

3 Feb 2012

Caffeine consumption reduces risk of advanced fibrosis in NAFLD patients

Caffeine consumption has long been associated with decreased risk of liver disease and reduced fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Now, newly published research confirms that coffee caffeine consumption reduces the risk of advanced fibrosis in those with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).