Liver Cancer Research in the Metabolic Epidemiology Branch
Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly occurring cancer in the world and due to a very poor prognosis, the third largest contributor to cancer mortality. Liver cancer is composed of two major histologic types: hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, ~70%) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC, ~15%). The incidence of both types increased in many countries in the past several decades. MEB investigators conduct research on a variety of factors in relationship to liver cancer including:
- Metabolic conditions (e.g., obesity, diabetes, metabolomic syndrome, NAFLD)
- Exogenous and endogenous hormonal exposures
- Diet
- Coffee
- Cigarette smoking
- Alcohol Consumption
- Medications
- Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus (HBV/HCV)
- Aflatoxin (AFB1)
- Metabolomics (including lipidomics, bile acids, and fatty acids)
- Microbiome (including circulating markers of bacterial translocation)
MEB investigators are conducting liver cancer studies using the following resources:
- Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cohort Study in Finland
- Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis trial (HALT-C)
- NIH-AARP Diet and Health Cohort Study
- Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, Ovarian Screening Trial
- National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
- U.K. Clinical Practice Research Datalink
- U.K. Biobank
- Globocan
- Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program Cancer Registries
- North American Association of Central Cancer Registries
- Cancer Incidence in Five Continents
Learn about the Liver Cancer Pooling Project (LCPP)
A pooling project of prospective cohort studies that seeks to understand the factors behind the rising incidence of HCC and ICC in the U.S.
For more information, contact Katherine McGlynn.