Useful markers to predict response to chemotherapy in patients with liver cancer
A study led by Isabel Fabregat, researcher at the Department of Physiological Sciences II of the University of Barcelona (UB) and the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), could serve to select patients with hepatocellular carcinoma unresponsive to most frequently used drug in liver cancer: sorafenib. The study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, describes how tumour cells having a less differentiated phenotype (mesenchymal) and expressing CD44 do not respond to Sorafenib action.
A study led by Isabel Fabregat, researcher at the Department of Physiological Sciences II of the University of Barcelona (UB) and the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), could serve to select patients with hepatocellular carcinoma unresponsive to most frequently used drug in liver cancer: sorafenib. The study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, describes how tumour cells having a less differentiated phenotype (mesenchymal) and expressing CD44 do not respond to Sorafenib action.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the cancers with the worst prognosis and more difficult treatment. Surgery is only possible when the tumour is well located and the protocol for liver transplantation requires specific requirements for number and size of tumour nodules. Sorafenib treatment induces a delay in tumour process but generally fails to produce the patient's recovery. Therefore, many laboratories are currently working on the study of the action of this drug to improve therapy either attaching different drugs or selecting patients. The study proposes CD44 as a potential marker that could be used clinically to select patients who will not respond to treatment and thus spare them the side effects.
Reference article:
Fernando J., Malfettone A., Cepeda EB, Vilarrasa-Blasi R., Bertran E., Raimondi G., Fabra A., Alvarez-Barrientos A., Fernández-Salguero P., Fernández-Rodríguez CM, Giannelli G., Sancho P., Fabregat I. "A mesenchymal-like Phenotype and expression of CD44 PREDICT lack of apoptótica response to sorafenib in liver tumor cells". International Journal of Cancer, July 2014. doi: 10.1002 / ijc.29097.