Liver Cancer Biomarkers Struggling to Succeed

Liver cancer is an international problem, as the third most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In the United States, the rising number of cases of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) has helped liver cancer take center stage. It currently is the fastest-growing cancer in incidence in the United States, and it is expected to continue climbing over the next 20 years. But by the time liver cancer is diagnosed, sometimes after years of chronic hepatitis in fection and cirrhosis, treatment options are often limited. Surgical removal is a possibility, if the tumor is small enough, but for some, a liver transplant is the only viable hope. Fewer than 5% of those diagnosed with liver cancer survive for 5 years. Jorge Marrero, M.D., medical oncolo