Research on Liver Cancer and Liver Mets

[Guest guest]

This is some of the things they are doing in Pittsburgh.

Remember the virus we have been reading about well UPMC is doing some of the

research on it and our Liver doc Geller, MD, in on it!! Maybe this is

useful to someone out there.

Please do realize that most of this is in the TESTING mode and because of

that there is no guarantee and there can be some controversial research in

these areas, e.g., cloning but if you are looking for trials or just a medical

research nut like me this may prove to be an answer down the line.

Narice

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute

Scientific Report 2002 — 2003

A National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center

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Liver Cancer Program

Research Activities

Basic Research

UPCI Liver Cancer Program basic research activities include:

Dr. Carr and his research team are investigating novel compounds related to

vitamin K that inhibit the growth of liver cancer cells. The goal is to

understand the mechanism of action of these drugs so that they eventually might

be

used clinically to treat liver tumors.

Dr. Geller and his research laboratory are studying the molecular mechanisms

responsible for apoptosis (programmed cell death) of liver cancer cells.

They are trying to determine whether some of our own cellular mediators (nitric

oxide) can be used to destroy established liver tumor cells.

Dr. Marsh and his research colleagues are genotyping primary liver tumors

(HCC) to identify molecular markers that will help us predict which cancers are

likely to recur following liver transplantation or resection.

Gene Therapy for Liver Cancer

Gene therapy is one of the most promising new areas of research into cancer

treatment. Unlike other therapies, DNA itself is used as the means of

treatment.

Cancer researchers at the Liver Cancer Program are investigating gene

therapy for its potential to treat primary and metastatic liver tumors. In some

cases, the gene delivered will encode for a protein that will directly attack

the cancer. In other cases, the gene may boost the patient’s own immune

system

to help fight off the cancer. Some genes are delivered by packaging them into

inactive viruses that help the gene to get inside the cancer cells. In other

cases, the virus itself may destroy the cancer without damaging the normal

liver tissue.

For unresectable colon cancer metastases confined to the liver, the UPMC

Liver Cancer Center is planning a gene therapy clinical trial where a novel

virus is injected into the liver followed by regional chemotherapy to enhance

the

tumor destruction. We hope to begin enrolling patients in this trial in the

near future. While research remains in the early stages of clinical trials in

the United States, gene therapy is showing great potential as a new and

powerful tool in the fight against liver cancer.

Clinical Research Trials on Liver Cancer

Clinical Research Interests:

A Phase I, Open-Label, Dose-Escalating Study of the Safety, Tolerability,

and Anti-tumor Activity of a Single Intrahepatic Arterial Injection of a

Genetically Engineered Herpes Simplex Virus, NV1020, in HSV Seronegative

subjects

With Adenocarcinoma of the Colon with Metastasis to the Liver

Principal Investigator: A. Geller, MD

Long Term Follow-Up of the Safety and Survival of HSV Seronegative Subjects

with Adenocarcinoma of the Colon with Metastasis to the Liver Who Enrolled in

a Phase I Dose-Escalating Study Evaluating a Genetically Engineered Herpes

Simplex Virus, NV1020

Cyberknife Treatment and follow-up for primary or metastatic liver tumors.

Principal Investigator: A. Geller, MD

Arsenic treatment for HCC

Principal Investigator: I. Carr, MD, PhD

Recent Clinical Research Protocols

Hepatic arterial Cisplatin + Adriamycin with or without Lipiodol for HCC, a

prospective randomized trial.

Thymitaq, a multi-center study for the treatment of advanced-stage HCC.

Therasphere (hepatic arterial 90Yttrium microspheres) for unresectable HCC.

Arsenic Trioxide in the management of metastatic HCC or non-metastatic,

prior chemotherapy failures.

Novel molecular markers for the diagnosis of HCC circulating

micro-metastases.

Clinical research database for a 1,000 HCC patients for analysis of

prognostic factors and survival.

Evaluation of novel embolizing agents for intrahepatic chemotherapy.

Continuous infusion chemotherapy by hepatic arterial pump for HCC.

Irissa (EGF receptor antibody) for HCC; a multi-center trial.