Oncology News

The Liver Disease and Hepatitis Program, which includes universal newborn hepatitis B vaccination and mass screening and immunization, has eliminated acute HBV and early-onset hepatocellular carcinoma as a public health threat among Alaska Native children, according to a study presented at the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Viral Hepatitis.

Patients who achieved sustained virologic response after direct-acting antiviral treatment also had significantly lower all-cause mortality and lower incident rates of hepatocellular carcinoma compared with patients who did not achieve SVR.

Eisai submitted a supplemental new drug application to the FDA to seek approval for lenvatinib as a frontline therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

The presence of hepatitis B core antibody, or HBcAb, did not affect the outcomes of hepatic resection in patients with either hepatitis C-related or non-B, non-C hepatocellular carcinoma, according to results of a recent study. However, the data showed a possible link between occult hepatitis B infection and hepatocarcinogenesis in patients with non-B, non-C HCC.

Men aged 40 to 65 years with chronic hepatitis B and a high burden of metabolic risk factors had increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma, especially is they were smokers, according to a recently published study.

The Dutch government has been taking comprehensive steps to deal with HCV. In November 2015, they ruled to treat all patients with HCV, regardless of age, cirrhosis or fibrosis status, risk profile, injection drug use status or sexual orientation. As part of the national HIV guidelines, all individuals with HIV are screened for hepatitis C. The strategies go hand-in-hand, with one overarching aim: treatment as prevention. The goal is to stop transmission of HCV cold. Because men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV are at the highest risk for transmitting the disease, they placed particular emphasis on testing and treating that population.

Recently published data revealed a significant association between low lymphocyte infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma tumors and higher recurrence rates and poor overall survival compared with high lymphocyte infiltration.

Among people of various ethnicities and cultures, higher coffee consumption — whether caffeinated or decaffeinated — was associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality benefits, according to two new studies published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Recently published data showed a link between sustained virologic response and a reduced risk for hepatocellular carcinoma among patients treated with direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C.

Nexavar treatment consistently showed benefit in hepatocellular carcinoma regardless of prognostic factors, according to results of a recently published study.