Finding new ways to treat liver cancer
Background
Liver cancer incidence is increasing faster than any other cancer. In Australia, liver cancer deaths are estimated to increase by 85% to 3500 deaths in 2030 imposing a major medical and public health burden. When diagnosed at an early stage, treatments such as surgery or liver transplantation can be very successful. However, most patients are diagnosed at a later stage when the cancer is more difficult to treat, and outcomes are poor. There is an urgent need for new, more effective treatments for late-stage liver cancer.
The research
In this project, Professor Leedman and his team will investigate a new treatment approach that combines a new drug delivery method capable of specifically targeting the liver, with a new anticancer drug shown to ‘switch off’ cancer cells. Once this new treatment has been developed the team will test their approach in pre-clinical models in the lab. They’ll then conduct further pre-clinical tests to see how effective this new treatment is when combined with existing liver cancer treatments.
The impact
Professor Leedman and his team hope their findings will lead to a much-needed clinical trial for a new and effective treatment for late-stage liver cancer.