Hope for liver cancer patients

[Guest guest]

http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20110704-287384.html

Hope for liver cancer patients

By Annie Freeda Cruez

KUALA LUMPUR - Up to 80 per cent of liver cancer patients seek treatment when it

is already too late, said Malaysia Liver Foundation (MLF) president Tan Sri Dr

Ismail Merican. He said liver cancer was in the list of top five cancers among

men in Malaysia, and a majority of these cases were due to chronic viral

hepatitis, especially hepatitis B.

" By the time the patients see the doctor, the treatment options are already

limited, " said Dr Ismail, adding that about 60 per cent of the burden of

digestive disorders is due to liver cirrhosis.

Recently, MLF partnered with Bayer HealthCare to run the NexPAP patient

assistance programme to offer some hope for patients with inoperable liver

cancer.

Dr Ismail said the programme was designed to assist patients who have been

diagnosed with liver cancer (Hepatocellular Carcinoma or HCC) and have been

prescribed sorafenib (generic name) by their doctors.

In October 2007, sorafenib was approved by the European Commission for the

treatment of patients with HCC, the most common form of liver cancer. Sorafenib

is the first approved systemic therapy for HCC and the only one shown to

significantly improve overall survival chances in patients with the disease.

A month later, sorafenib was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) for the treatment of patients with inoperable HCC.

Sorafenib is approved in more than 80 countries for the treatment of HCC,

including Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, India, South Korea,

Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand and Singapore.

Another issue that is hotly debated, Dr Ismail said, was whether patients with

liver cancer should be offered liver transplants, given the overall poor

prognosis of patients with advanced liver cancer.

" This topic is being revisited in view of modern systemic therapies and other

advances that are now available. "

He said live donor liver transplantation was a perennial issue in Malaysia as

there were certain guidelines that may not be so favourable to those who would

like to be considered for this option.

" Our surgeons are considered too conservative and they will have an opportunity

to interact with overseas experts who have more experience in dealing with this

subject.

" What is important is that such procedures, if done, must be above board and do

not cross ethical boundaries. This sometimes becomes an emotional issue when the

family is desperate and wants the procedure to be done, despite the risks,

depending on the cause of the end-stage liver disease. "

Dr Ismail said chronic hepatitis B and C were common problems seen by healthcare

providers.

He added that the 9th Liver Update, organised by MLF and Health Ministry

starting July 13, will see experts impart information on the latest treatments

available for these diseases.

Liver Update will see experts sharing advances in the management of liver and

hepatobiliary diseases, including liver transplantation and complex liver

surgery to local and international participants.

There is also a half-day session for general practitioners and primary care

physicians to discuss how they can interpret liver function tests, hepatitis and

vaccination, fatty liver and hepatitis and pregnancies -- the dos and don'ts.

Dr Ismail said liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension were complications of

chronic hepatitis and many other liver disorders, and managing such cases was

challenging, given the limited options and the variety of clinical scenarios

that can manifest.

" Fatty liver is very common and not well understood or managed, and that is why

we are also highlighting this condition. We anticipate fatty liver will be a

major liver problem in Malaysia as an affluent lifestyle and poor dietary habits

lead to many overweight and obese Malaysians. "

He said fatty liver was not harmless and had been shown to progress to liver

scarring, hardening and also liver cancer.

" Lifestyle modifications like exercise and a healthy diet are effective in

preventing fatty liver in most individuals.

" Therefore, doctors and other healthcare providers should not only treat their

patients with specific remedies, they also need to educate them on a healthy

lifestyle. "

Dr Ismail said there were also plans to organise patient support groups during

the upcoming Liver Update so that patients suffering from chronic viral

hepatitis and liver cancer, or have relatives with such diseases, would share

their experiences and provide support to one another, with the assistance of

specialists from MLF.

[Guest guest]

http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20110704-287384.html

Hope for liver cancer patients

By Annie Freeda Cruez

KUALA LUMPUR - Up to 80 per cent of liver cancer patients seek treatment when it

is already too late, said Malaysia Liver Foundation (MLF) president Tan Sri Dr

Ismail Merican. He said liver cancer was in the list of top five cancers among

men in Malaysia, and a majority of these cases were due to chronic viral

hepatitis, especially hepatitis B.

" By the time the patients see the doctor, the treatment options are already

limited, " said Dr Ismail, adding that about 60 per cent of the burden of

digestive disorders is due to liver cirrhosis.

Recently, MLF partnered with Bayer HealthCare to run the NexPAP patient

assistance programme to offer some hope for patients with inoperable liver

cancer.

Dr Ismail said the programme was designed to assist patients who have been

diagnosed with liver cancer (Hepatocellular Carcinoma or HCC) and have been

prescribed sorafenib (generic name) by their doctors.

In October 2007, sorafenib was approved by the European Commission for the

treatment of patients with HCC, the most common form of liver cancer. Sorafenib

is the first approved systemic therapy for HCC and the only one shown to

significantly improve overall survival chances in patients with the disease.

A month later, sorafenib was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) for the treatment of patients with inoperable HCC.

Sorafenib is approved in more than 80 countries for the treatment of HCC,

including Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, India, South Korea,

Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand and Singapore.

Another issue that is hotly debated, Dr Ismail said, was whether patients with

liver cancer should be offered liver transplants, given the overall poor

prognosis of patients with advanced liver cancer.

" This topic is being revisited in view of modern systemic therapies and other

advances that are now available. "

He said live donor liver transplantation was a perennial issue in Malaysia as

there were certain guidelines that may not be so favourable to those who would

like to be considered for this option.

" Our surgeons are considered too conservative and they will have an opportunity

to interact with overseas experts who have more experience in dealing with this

subject.

" What is important is that such procedures, if done, must be above board and do

not cross ethical boundaries. This sometimes becomes an emotional issue when the

family is desperate and wants the procedure to be done, despite the risks,

depending on the cause of the end-stage liver disease. "

Dr Ismail said chronic hepatitis B and C were common problems seen by healthcare

providers.

He added that the 9th Liver Update, organised by MLF and Health Ministry

starting July 13, will see experts impart information on the latest treatments

available for these diseases.

Liver Update will see experts sharing advances in the management of liver and

hepatobiliary diseases, including liver transplantation and complex liver

surgery to local and international participants.

There is also a half-day session for general practitioners and primary care

physicians to discuss how they can interpret liver function tests, hepatitis and

vaccination, fatty liver and hepatitis and pregnancies -- the dos and don'ts.

Dr Ismail said liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension were complications of

chronic hepatitis and many other liver disorders, and managing such cases was

challenging, given the limited options and the variety of clinical scenarios

that can manifest.

" Fatty liver is very common and not well understood or managed, and that is why

we are also highlighting this condition. We anticipate fatty liver will be a

major liver problem in Malaysia as an affluent lifestyle and poor dietary habits

lead to many overweight and obese Malaysians. "

He said fatty liver was not harmless and had been shown to progress to liver

scarring, hardening and also liver cancer.

" Lifestyle modifications like exercise and a healthy diet are effective in

preventing fatty liver in most individuals.

" Therefore, doctors and other healthcare providers should not only treat their

patients with specific remedies, they also need to educate them on a healthy

lifestyle. "

Dr Ismail said there were also plans to organise patient support groups during

the upcoming Liver Update so that patients suffering from chronic viral

hepatitis and liver cancer, or have relatives with such diseases, would share

their experiences and provide support to one another, with the assistance of

specialists from MLF.