"Exosomes from Blood Carry RNA Signatures of Liver Cancer" - Emma Yasinski
RNA sequencing may help doctors diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) earlier, according to preliminary data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. HCC is the most common type of liver cancer, accounting for 65 percent of cases in the United States. Chronic hepatitis B and C infections, alcohol-related liver scarring, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are the primary risk factors for the disease. In an effort to detect the cancer as early as possible, cirrhosis patients get ultrasounds and blood tests every six months to look for signs of tumors. However, current tests only identify about 63 percent of cases, said Augusto Villanueva Rodriguez, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, hematology, liver diseases, and medical oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who led the study. “We need new tools that can help us detect tumors earlier.”
— Augusto Villanueva, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Medicine, Hematology, Medical Oncology, Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai