HCC News Archives

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.”

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hidden Hepatitis B Infection Still Promotes Cancer

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.

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 ...

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.

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.

Possible Treatment for Unresponsive Hepatitis C
16 February 2006
The U.S. is witnessing an increase in hepatitis C infection similar to the increase observed in Japan 50 years ago. Hepatitis C-associated hepatocellular cancer is increasing in incidence, while cancers related to alcohol and hepatitis B are remaining constant. There will be an expected 3-fold increase in hepatitis C-associated liver cancer over the next 20 years.

For full article, click here.

New Compound May Protect Against Liver Cancer
15 February 2006
Scientists have identified a new compound called CDDO-Im that protects against the development of liver cancer in laboratory animals. Experiments, led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, show CDDO-Im to be effective at doses 100 times lower than other compounds known to prevent cancer in people. Because of its makeup, the researchers believe CDDO-Im could be particularly effective in preventing cancers with a strong link to inflammation, such as liver, colon, prostate and gastric cancers. It could also play a role in preventing diseases such as neurodegeneration, asthma and emphysema. The findings are featured in the February 15, 2006, issue of the journal Cancer Research.

For full article, click here.

Checking the Blood of High-Risk Groups for Liver Cancer
25 January 2006
Using sophisticated blood protein spectrum measurements analysed by computer artificial neural networks, the team was able to define and detect changes characteristic of early liver cancer.

Lead researcher Professor Philip Johnson said: "We've shown that the right combination of technology and computer analysis can 'break the code' of liver cancer and distinguish people with early liver cancer from those without the disease. Our method was more accurate than the existing liver cancer blood test.

Professor John Toy, medical director of Cancer Research UK commented,
"Professor Johnson and his colleagues have made a promising start in developing a potential new test for primary liver cancer. More work is needed to prove that patterns of protein levels associated with liver cancer can be used as a reliable test for monitoring high-risk groups."

For full article, click here.

Laparoscopic Liver Resection
23 January 2006
Doctor Jay Redan is one of a growing number of doctors performing laparoscopic surgery on organs like the liver - it's faster and easier on patients. "The big difference is they're going to have much less pain, faster recovery. In terms of cancer procedures, someone can start their cancer treatment sooner, and hopefully even have a better long-term outcome."

These tools allow surgeons to make a much smaller incision, and the magnified images make dissection safer and more precise.

For full article, click here.

Hepatitis B Serum Levels and HCC
09 January 2006
In order to evaluate the relationship between the amount of viral DNA in a patient’s serum and the probability of developing HCC, researchers in Taiwan conducted a study among 3653 patients who were positive for hepatitis B virus and negative for hepatitis C virus.

During an average of 11 years of follow-up, researchers identified 164 new cases of HCC among study subjects. Patients with higher levels of hepatitis B virus DNA levels were more likely to develop HCC.
• Among patients with the lowest viral DNA levels, 1.3% of subjects developed HCC.
• Among patients with the highest viral DNA levels, 15% developed HCC.

The relationship between viral DNA level and risk of HCC persisted after accounting for sex, age, smoking, alcohol consumption, HBeAg (a marker of hepatitis B virus replication), and serum level of alanine aminotransferase (elevated levels suggest liver damage). In fact, the relationship between viral DNA level and risk of liver cancer was particularly strong for patients who were negative for HBeAg and had normal serum levels of alanine aminotransferase.

For full article, click here.

Aflatoxin Recall
04 January 2006
Diamond Pet Food has recently issued a recall of many of their products due to aflatoxin contamination. Aflatoxin is a poisonous substance that can grow on grains. It is produced by fungi and is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer). Other risk factors for hepatocellular carcinov ma include hepatitis B and C. For more information about the recalled products and the states affected visit: http://www.diamondpetrecall.com.

Treatment Gives New Hope for HCC
02 January 2006
Dr. Lawrence and fellow researchers are the only physicians in the world who offer a special form of chemo and radiation that may help patients live longer. Instead of going through the entire body, chemotherapy is injected into the arm and travels right into the liver artery at up to 400-times the normal dose.

Targeted beams of radiation hit the tumor in the patient's liver. Before giving radiation, he uses a mathematical formula to divide the liver into 2,000 parts. Targeted beams hit the tumor from different angles at the highest safe dose.

"This is like one, plus one equals three," Lawrence said. "You get more than the simple sum of the two treatments, because they work together."

Those on the combination treatment live an average of one and a half years longer than expected.

For full article, click here.

Hepatitis C Link for HCC
30 December 2005
"What we've found is that one of the hepatitis C virus proteins targets a cell protein that is critical for suppressing the development of tumors, interfering with its ability to control [cancer] cell proliferation," explained Lemon, who is director of the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity and a professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Internal Medicine. "By knocking out this 'tumor suppressor' and promoting the proliferation of liver cells, this viral protein is setting up the liver for cancer."

The tumor-blocking protein is known as the retinoblastoma protein. It normally lassos growing cancer cells, but when HCV is present, scientists have found that the protein is greatly reduced in liver cells. These cells contain a hepatitis C "replicon", a piece of HCV genetic material that is able to reproduce itself in liver cells used in lab experiments, and can also produce proteins made by the hepatitis C virus.

For full article, click here.

Life Saving Liver Cancer Device
23 December 2005
Previously, malignant tumors in the liver were often considered inoperable because of the risk of massive blood loss. Liver cancer surgery is further complicated by the fact that, frequently, tumors must be shrunk by drug therapy before they are removed, particularly if they are in a location where bleeding will occur too quickly.

The handheld device invented by Dr. Habib checks blood loss through the use of radio waves which seal tissue quickly.

Professor Habib, head of liver services at London's Hammersmith Hospital, states: “Liver surgery can be tricky and blood loss is one of the biggest problems. The liver is naturally engorged with blood and we have to find ways of operating without losing too much.”

The Habib Resection Device delivers high energy radio waves into tissue surrounding a tumor via a series of electrodes. The heat the radio waves create dries and seals off blood vessels within 40 seconds.

For full article, click here.

Lighter HCC Patients Fare Better
29 November 2005
Jot down liver cancer on the list of conditions exacerbated by excess poundage. People who are obese and have hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma have significantly shorter survival than lean patients with liver cancer.

"Obesity may worsen the prognosis of people with hepatocellular carcinoma, and reduction of body weight may improve the clinical course and prognosis of people with HCV by delaying the development of hepatocellular carcinoma," Toshihiko Mazuta, M.D., and colleagues at Saga Medical School reported at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases meeting.

For full article, click here.

Alternative HCC Treatment Found in Mexico
25 November 2005
The treatment includes daily coffee enemas, chelation therapy (a four-hour bag of intravenous solution to remove toxic metals from the body) and laetrile therapy (to infuse the body with vitamin B17). The patient also receives four injections a week, ultraviolet therapy and several 30-minute sessions per week in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

The treatment runs for a period of 30 consecutive days, but a special diet must be kept up for 6 months following treatment.

For full article, click here.

Breakthrough for Hepatitis C Research
06 August 2005
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) afflicts more than 170 million people worldwide but until now HCV research has been severely hampered by the inability to produce infectious virus in cell culture. In a major breakthrough, three papers reporting the replication of full length HCV clones in vitro have just been published, paving the way for developing effective antiviral therapies and vaccines.

For full article, click here.

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Liver Cancer News Archives

Hidden Hepatitis B Infection Still Promotes Cancer