Genetic Analysis of Liver Cancer
Liver CancerHepatitis B3 moreLiver cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. While the molecular pathogenesis of liver cancer has been extensively studied, less is known about how the molecular biology of liver cancer influences clinical outcome and treatment response. We are developing a translational research program that will characterize molecular changes in liver cancer. We plan to use molecular information obtained from studying liver tumor tissues to develop new diagnostics and treatment regimens for patients with these cancers. The experimental approach will require freezing fresh tumor tissues obtained from surgical procedures, which will be subsequently used for analysis of DNA, protein and mRNA expression. Many patients with liver cancer are referred to the Stanford Liver Tumor Board for consultation and treatment recommendations. We propose to gather tissue samples from those who subsequently undergo biopsy, liver resection surgery, or transplant surgery.
Adherence to Treatment With PegIntron Pen Plus Rebetol in Treatment-naïve Adult Patients With Hepatitis...
Hepatitis CChronic1 moreAdherence to the prescribed treatment regimen with PegIntron and Rebetol affects the chance of achieving a sustained virologic response in patients with hepatitis C. The objective of this study is to evaluate the proportion of patients who complete treatment with PegIntron pen and Rebetol while participating in a patient assistance program. The patient assistance program can consist of prophylactic treatment (eg, with growth factors, psychiatric medications) or other interventions (eg, psychotherapy, patient support groups, visiting nurse, nurse telephone calls, educational literature).
Autoimmune Hepatitis Study
HepatitisAutoimmuneThe purpose of the study is to determine the role special antibodies play in possibly identifying Autoimmune Hepatitis through the following: Identify the response of specific T cells to antibodies and Monitor the response of the cells that regulate the immune system
Impact of Hepatitis C Virus Variability on Steatosis
Chronic Hepatitis CChronic infection by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a common cause of liver disease, which may progress to cirrhosis and eventually liver cancer. The therapeutic indication will depend mainly on the importance of liver damage (fibrosis), which can be assessed by physical techniques, blood tests and a liver biopsy. The overall objectives of the project are to understand how HCV variability may influence the severity of steatosis (accumulation of fat in the liver), studying 30 patients chronically infected with HCV (half of these patients infected by HCV genotype 3, versus the other half infected by HCV of another genotype). A small portion of the biopsy performed for the routine pathology examination will be placed in special fixation buffer for electron microscopy (EM). Counting and measuring the size of lipid droplets present in the liver by EM will be used to precisely quantify and characterize the liver steatosis. A blood sample of patients will also be collected to sequence the viral genome present in the patient and identify the amino acids involved in an increase in intracellular accumulation of lipid droplets. This work should clarify the impact of the viral variability in the severity of steatosis. Ultimately, the identification of viral sequences responsible for an increase of this phenomenon could be crucial for understanding the mechanisms involved in the steatosis.
Monitoring of Hepatitis C Treatment Using Telemedicine - a Clinical Trial in Public Health System...
Chronic Hepatitis CThe study is a non-randomized, single group clinical trial on monitoring hepatitis C therapy using telemedicine. Patients with chronic hepatitis C without cirrhosis will be treated with the pangenotypic regimen of direct acting antivirals sofosbuvir and velpatasvir for 12 weeks after a single visit to the clinic, in which treatment will be prescribed. Patients will be then monitored by telemedicine tools, like instant message application, telephone and video calls and by his or her primary physician when needed. Twelve weeks after treatment conclusion, hepatitis C virus RNA levels will be measured on a blood sample, indicating the cure rate and efficacy of this protocol on HCV treatment. The primary objective of the study is to address the feasibility and applicability of the usage of telemedicine tools to increase access and monitor HCV treatment with direct-acting antivirals in public health in Brazil.
Management of Patients With Hepatitis C in a Public Health Care Setting: The Punjab Model
Chronic Hepatitis cBackground and Aims: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) infection in Punjab, India is 3.29%, with an estimated burden of around 650,000 viremic chronic HCV (CHC) patients. The Mukh Mantri Punjab Hepatitis C Relief Fund (MMPHCRF) was launched in June 2016 to provide free treatment to all CHC aiming to eliminate HCV from Punjab. The study assessed the feasibility of decentralized care and efficacy and safety of 12 or 24 weeks of sofosbuvir (SOF) + ledipasvir (LDV) or SOF + daclatasvir (DCV) ± ribavirin (RBV) in the treatment of CHC patients in a public health care setting.
Pilot Study of Ezetimibe for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Infection
Chronic Hepatitis CInfection by hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects more than 170 million people in the World and 80.000 in Chile. It causes more deaths than HIV infection in the US and is a leading cause for liver transplantation in Chile. Even though treatments are evolving with new direct antiviral agents (DAAs) that are increasing response rates, there are several issues with these new approaches, including increased toxicity, need for using interferon and ribavirin, complex algorithms of treatment, high cost, limited effectivity in certain groups (liver transplant patients) and drug interactions. Treatments targeted at host factors required for the viral cycle are becoming increasingly explored as an alternative or complement to DAAs. It has been recently described that Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1), the intestinal receptor of cholesterol, serves as an entry factor for HCV. NPC1L1 is, therefore, a key transporter in the enterohepatic cycle of cholesterol. NPC1L1 can be blocked with ezetimibe, which is an approved and generally safe drug used for the management of hypercholesterolemia. Our hypothesis posits that blocking HCV entry to the hepatocyte or intestinal HCV reabsorption with ezetimibe may have an antiviral effect. In the study, we will administer ezetimibe 20 mg/d to 20 patients with stable chronic hepatitis C for 12 weeks and assess changes in HCV RNA and core antigen in plasma, bile and feces.
Effects of Activity and Education Program on Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C Infection
Hepatitis C Virus InfectionResponse to Therapy ofThis 4-year project will be guided by a biobehavioral model for the study of exercise interventions in two phases with the purposes to : explore the patients' physical activity preferences and develop doable activity lists during treatment period examine the changes of health-related physical fitness component over interferon treatment develop the Personalized Physical Activity and Psych-Education (PPAPE) Program and test its effects on decreasing fatigue, physical and psychological distress, and improving their health-related physical fitness and quality of life in patients with chronic hepatitis C receiving Interferon with Ribavirin Combination Therapy evaluate the outcome of the PPAPE program on increasing adherence to therapy, the sustained virological response (SVR) in 24 weeks after the end of treatment, and the time-consuming for education program during intervention.
Vitamin D Treatment in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C
Chronic Hepatitis CWe hypothesize that patients with Ch.HCV have a low level of vitamin D, and that by raising their vitamin D levels by adding it to their standard treament of Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin, there will be an increase in their sustained virological response.
Safety Profiles of Liver Biopsy in Hemodialysis Patients With Chronic Viral Hepatitis Pre-treated...
Chronic Hepatitis CChronic Hepatitis B2 morePercutaneous liver biopsy (PLB) is the gold standard for grading necroinflammation and staging fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Whether the use of 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) before PLBs in hemodialysis (HD) patients with chronic viral hepatitis has comparable safety profiles to those with normal renal function (NRF) has not been evaluated in prospective studies.