New Antibody May Lead to New Liver Cancer Treatments
11 July 2007
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine report a significant new advance in the search for an effective treatment for human liver cancer in the July issue of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. Using a newly available monoclonal antibody, they demonstrated significant reductions in tumor cell proliferation and survival in human and mouse hepatocellular cancer (HCC) cell lines. According to the researchers, this finding has significant implications not only for the treatment of liver cancer but for a number of different types of cancer.
For full article, click on New Antibody May Lead to New Liver Cancer Treatments
Genetically Altered Cold Sore Virus Fights Cancer
9 July 2007
A modified version of the virus that causes cold sores is showing early promise in targeting colorectal and liver cancer cells, scientists report. The herpes simplex virus is specially designed so that it grows in specific cancer cells, killing them in the process. The researchers report that the genetically altered virus is safe for healthy tissue.
"It doesn't replicate in normal, healthy cells, so our hope is that it will help fight cancers without causing side effects in the rest of the body," Dr. Axel Mescheder, vice president of clinical research and development for MediGene, said in a prepared statement. Mescheder reported safety and efficacy results and described the case of a patient whose liver tumors appeared to be reduced six months after treatment with the virus.
For the complete article, click onFor full article, click on Genetically Altered Cold Sore Virus Fights Cancer
Why Liver Cancer Is More Prevalent In Males than In Females
6 July 2007
Production of a protein that promotes inflammation appears to be linked to the higher incidence of liver cancer in men than in women, researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have determined in mouse studies. Their discovery that female mice produce far less of the protein called interleukin-6 (IL-6) in response to liver injury than males do, and that production of this protein is suppressed by estrogen, may point the way to therapies to reduce the incidence of liver cancer in males. IL-6 contributes to the chronic liver inflammation that leads to cancer.
For the complete article, click on Why Liver Cancer Is More Prevalent In Males than In Females
The Medical Tricorder Takes Steps Away From Sci Fi
2 July 2007
Recent scientific discoveries mark the latest steps toward the ultimate medical-diagnosis technology: the tricorder. "When we were conceptualizing (our experiment), we saw the ultimate device should be noninvasive, giving you the molecular details of the disease going on inside the body," said Howard Chang of Stanford University's Comprehensive Cancer Center. "I think a tricorder is a useful idea .... it shows the gap between what we have now and what we hope technology will achieve in the end."
"{We're} trying to put a patient in a CAT scan and image the human genome in their tumor," said Michael Kuo, an assistant professor of interventional radiology at the University of California at San Diego. For example, the scientists could determine whether the gene that spurs the growth of blood vessels, called VEGF, was turned on or off, by statistically analyzing a CT image. Experimental treatments such as vaccines and gene therapies attack tumors by shutting down this gene's ability to feed cancer tumors with new blood vessels.
For the complete article, click on The Medical Tricorder Takes Steps Away From Sci Fi
Celsion Completes Enrollment for Phase I Liver Cancer Study
30 May 2007
Celsion announced the completion of enrollment for its Phase I dose escalation study, using ThermoDox®, to treat non-resectable liver cancer. In the study, a total of 24 primary and metastatic liver cancer patients were treated with ThermoDox in combination with radiofrequency ablation. Enrollment in the study has been completed, and clinical data is currently being assembled for analysis and eventual submission for the FDA. Michael H. Tardugno, Celsion’s President and Chief Executive Officer, commented “Completion of the liver cancer Phase I dosing escalation study represents another milestone in our ThermoDox development program and is consistent with our timelines to initiate our Phase III registrational study for Primary Liver Cancer later this year.”
For the complete article, click on Celsion Completes Enrollment for Phase I Liver Cancer Study
Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer Affect Asian-Americans at Disproportionate Rates
15 May 2007
Asian-Americans are disproportionately diagnosed with hepatitis B and more likely than whites to die of hepatitis B-related illnesses. According to the CDC, Asian-Americans die from hepatitis B-related illnesses, such as liver cancer and cirrhosis, at a rate seven times greater than whites. Chronic hepatitis B affects 0.3% of the U.S. population, though more than 50%, or about 700,000 people, of those with hepatitis B are Asian. Sammy So, director of Asian Liver Center, said, "Almost every Asian knows of someone who died from liver cancer," adding, "Hepatitis B and liver cancer is the greatest health care disparity."
For the complete article, click on Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer Affect Asian-Americans at Disproportionate Rates
New Proton Therapy Centers Open to Cancer Patients
15 May 2007
Doctors at the National Cancer Center (NCC) of Korea are now employing proton beams in their war against cancer using a newly installed 35.8 billion won ($38 million) proton therapy system from IBA in both Korea and Florida, USA. The first patient at the 47.8 billion won ($51 million) NCC Proton Therapy Center was treated for prostate cancer. More than 900 patients a year are expected to be treated at the proton therapy center for breast cancer, pediatric cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer and prostate cancer.
For the complete article, click on New Proton Therapy Centers Open to Cancer Patients
ZIOPHARM Treats First Patient in Phase II Liver Cancer Trial
10 May 2007
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. announced today dosing of the first patient in a phase II trial of ZIO-101 (organic arsenical) for the treatment of patients with primary liver cancer. Primary liver cancer is one of the most commonly occurring cancers in the world. The study will take place at five major U.S. liver cancer treatment centers including sites in New York, Boston, Miami, Seattle and Atlanta. To learn more about this clinical trial, go to www.clinicaltrials.gov. ZIO-101 is a proprietary small molecule organic arsenical that induces cell cycle arrest and cell death by targeting several cellular pathways essential for cell survival.
For the complete article, click on ZIOPHARM Treats First Patient in Phase II Liver Cancer Trial
China's new liver cancer drug ready to enter Chinese market
9 May 2007
Chengdu Hoist Inc. Ltd. announced today its new iodine metuximab injection has passed all government approvals and can now enter the market, while also having received state class one status for the new product, which is the highest Chinese classification for drug innovation.
The complete article is no longer available.
Multidisciplinary Approach Offers New Hope for Patients with Liver Cancer
5 May 2007
While traditional chemotherapy still has little role in the treatment of liver cancer, a combination of interventional radiology and surgical techniques, including liver transplantation are now available and--in selected patients--can even cure the disease. For patients diagnosed with early disease, liver transplantation can provide the definitive cure for both the cancer and the advanced liver disease that frequently always accompanies a diagnosis of cancer. For patients that do not have advanced liver disease or for patients that cannot receive a liver transplant, surgical resection, ablative therapy or transarterial chemoembolization can provide excellent survival, if applied to the correct candidate.
With so many treatment techniques available, patients with cancer of the liver should be referred to medical centers able to provide a diversified approach to the treatment of hepatoma.
For the complete article, click on Multidisciplinary Approach Offers New Hope for Patients with Liver Cancer
New look at percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of liver tumors
4 May 2007
Percutaneous imaging guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatocellular carcinoma has been deemed safe and effective, with benefits such as reduced post-procedural pain and length of hospital stay, according to a study conducted by researchers from Changi General Hospital in Singapore.
"Radiofrequency ablation of a liver tumor may be performed in a number of ways," said Hui Seong Teh, MD, lead author of the study. "Two commonly used techniques are the percutaneous approach and open surgery. There have been few studies that compare the efficacy of the two methods."
For the complete article, click on New look at percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of liver tumors
Blood DNA can be early predictor of liver cancer
15 April 2007
Researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health have discovered a means for early detection of liver cancer. Using DNA isolated from serum samples as a baseline biomarker, the scientists examined changes in certain tumor suppressor genes that have been associated with the development of liver carcinomas. This is the first study to prospectively examine potential biomarkers for early detection of liver cancer in high-risk populations, including those with chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections.
For the complete article, click on Blood DNA can be early predictor of liver cancer
New Drug to Help Liver Transplant Patients Avoid Reinfection with Hepatitis B
09 April 2007
Cangene Corp won U.S. approval to promote its injectable HepaGam B product to prevent reinfection with the hepatitis B virus in certain liver transplant patients, health officials said on Friday. HepaGam B is made from a protein derived from human plasma that can provide immunity to the hepatitis B virus, the Food and Drug Administration said. Patients must receive injections at the time of liver transplant and throughout their lives, the FDA said.
For the complete article, click on New Drug to Help Liver Transplant Patients Avoid Reinfection with Hepatitis B
UPMC clinical trial uses genetically engineered virus in fight against liver cancer
04 April 2007
UPMC's Liver Cancer Center hopes a clinical trial it is conducting will showcase the benefits of viral gene therapy in treating colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's liver cancer center is participating in a national trial to test whether a genetically engineered herpes simplex virus -- the one that causes cold sores -- will kill liver cancer without harming healthy tissue.
For the complete article, click on UPMC clinical trial uses genetically engineered virus in fight against liver cancer
Largest Study to Date Confirms Effectiveness of Radioembolization for Unresectable Liver Tumors
26 February 2007
Radioembolization is considered a safe and effective treatment for patients with liver tumors that cannot be surgically removed and can be safely applied to a wider group of patients, according to the results of the largest-ever study of patients treated. The study and recommendations by an international consensus panel were presented at the 18th Annual International Congress on Anti Cancer Treatment (ICACT) in Paris, France on Thursday, February 8, 2007.
For the complete article, click on Largest Study to Date Confirms Effectiveness of Radioembolization
Patient undergoes microwave surgery
15 February 2007
A surgeon at Carolinas Medical Center performed the first microwave surgery in the Carolinas this week to treat advanced liver cancer in a 48-year-old Charlotte man. Dr. David Iannitti, who was recruited to Charlotte last year from Brown University in Rhode Island, is among a handful of U.S. surgeons who have used "microwave ablation" to destroy liver tumors that cannot be removed surgically. The microwave technique is an alternative to radiofrequency ablation, which has been available since 1997. Radiofrequency ablation destroys tumors by heating them with electric current. Microwave ablation uses a much higher frequency, creating an energy field that heats and kills the tissue.
For the complete article, click on Patient undergoes microwave surgery
Analysis: Analysts split on Onyx's Nexavar
14 February 2007
Onyx rises and falls on its drug Nexavar, but analysts are split on the potential of the cancer treatment in light of promising results released this week. Onyx said it stopped a pivotal trial in liver cancer early after an interim analysis showed an improvement in overall survival in patients receiving Nexavar. The drug was approved for treating advanced renal cell carcinoma in 2005.
For the complete article, click on Analysis: Analysts split on Onyx's Nexavar
Nexavar Improves Survival in Liver Cancer
12 February 2007
According to a press release from Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Nexavar (sorafenib) appears to improve overall survival among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have not received prior therapy. Nexavar is an agent that is targeted against specific biological pathways that are believed to be associated with the growth and spread of cancer cells.
For the complete article, click on Nexavar Improves Survival in Liver Cancer
Drug-Eluting Beads Fight Liver Cancer
6 February 2007
In a pilot study, 90 percent of patients with liver cancer infused with drug-eluting beads were alive more than one year later, researchers reported at the 19th International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy (ISET). The beads were placed into tiny arteries that fed the cancer in a procedure known as transarterial chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma with doxorubicin-loaded microspheres.
For the complete article, click on Drug-Eluting Beads Fight Liver Cancer
Transplantation Offers Best Hope for Long-Term Survival of Liver Cancer
22 January 2007
Human organ transplantation gives patients with hepatocellular cancer the best chance for long-term survival, but most liver cancer patients in the United States never get the opportunity to try surgical procedures because their disease is too advance at diagnosis, researchers said at the 2007 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (GASTRO 2007). About 67 percent of transplant patients are alive after 6 years, compared with 38 percent of patients who undergo resection or 19 percent of patients who are treated locally with percutaneous ablation procedures (P < .0001), said Rodrich Schwarz, MD, director, Pancreatic Cancer Program, and associate professor of surgery, Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
For the complete article, click on Transplantation Offers Best Hope for Long-Term Survival of Liver Cancer
Chitosan nanoparticles suppress liver cancer growth
22 January 2007
Nanoparticles made of chitosan, a naturally occuring polymer isolated from crab and shrimp shells, have shown promise as carriers of anticancer drugs, antitumor genes and other novel therapeutic agents. In addition, chitosan nanoparticles by themselves appear toxic to various types of malignant cells. To better understand this latter observation, Lifeng Qi, Ph.D., at West Virginia University, working with colleagues at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, has conducted a detailed study evaluating the effect of chitosan nanoparticles on human liver cancer cells.
For the complete article, click on Chitosan nanoparticles suppress liver cancer growth
Hidden Hepatitis B Infection Still Promotes Cancer
13 January 2007
Unlike the usual situation with HBV infection when the virus can be detected in blood samples, hidden or "occult" infection occurs when HBV is only detectable in liver tissues. Previous studies have linked the usual HBV infection with liver cancer, but it was unclear if the same held true with occult infection.
"Our study definitively shows that HBV also maintains its (cancer-promoting) role in the case of occult infection," the researchers state.
For the complete article, click on Hidden Hepatitis B Infection Still Promotes Cancer
World's first liver genome library complete
12 January 2007
The world's first genome library specific to liver cancer has been completed, announced the Taiwan Institute of Biomedical Science. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a primary liver cancer, is endemic in Taiwan and ranks as one of the leading causes of death because it is difficult to detect in its early stages. With a complete catalog of genes altered during the progression of HCC, scientists and doctors have a powerful tool for ...
For the complete article, click on World's first liver genome library complete
UK researchers to use common cold viruses to target cancer cells
11 January 2007
Scientists at Oxford University are all set to begin trials that will attempt to use the cold virus to fight cancer. These viruses will be equipped with a special coat so as to avoid detection by the immune system, thus killing only the cancerous cells and sparing the healthy ones.
The study, being supported by Cancer Research UK, will begin later this year and attempt to destroy liver cancer cells by using altered cold viruses. While earlier studies have documented the ability of viruses to kill tumors, it must be noted that such methods are rendered useless if the cancer has spread extensively.
For the complete article, click on UK researchers to use common cold viruses to target cancer cells
Expanded use for TheraSphere(R)
10 January 2007
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of TheraSphere® to treat patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), who have partial or branch portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and have been identified as suitable candidates by their physicians. HCC is the most common form of primary liver cancer. Portal vein thrombosis is a blockage, by a blood clot, of the portal vein, which brings blood to the liver. Treating HCC patients who have PVT using traditional therapies is often difficult or impossible. Some treatments can slow or even stop blood flow altogether, potentially leading to complications for patients with this condition. TheraSphere® is the first medical device approved in the U.S. to treat primary liver cancer patients with this condition.
For the complete article, click on Expanded use for TheraSphere(R)
