Liveration and Genial layman events
On November 21, 2023, ELPA, together with its scientific partners, organised two layman events in the framework of Liveration and Genial, EU-funded projects focusing on liver cancer.
The two sessions aimed at explaining the scopes of the two projects to all ELPA members.
Liveration: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks fourth in cancer deaths worldwide. Between 20% and 30% of patients with advanced CRC have liver metastases (CRLM). Liver cancer ranks second in cancer deaths worldwide, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite recent advances, liver resection offers the only chance of cure for patients with liver metastases. However, the recurrence rate of these tumours is high even after post-resection. The presence of positive margins in the remaining liver after resection correlates with increased local recurrence and decreased overall survival, the only factor where prognosis could be influenced by the performance of surgery. However, at present, the extent of an R-negative status remains debatable and varies widely from one publication to another. Currently, there are radiofrequency ablation studies that, based on preliminary retrospective human clinical trials, are able to correlate additional coagulation of tumour margins with a reduction in local recurrence. However, there is no prospective and pragmatically controlled study that accurately measures this additional margin and its impact on oncological outcomes. The aim of LIVERATION is to conduct an ambitious, pragmatic multicenter clinical trial with 720 patients with CRLM and HCC at 24 clinical centres in 6 different countries to determine whether additional ablated margin produced by radiofrequency can decrease the recurrence rate and improve patient survival.
Genial: The aim is to 1) portray genetic and environmental determinants promoting Alcohol-related hepatocellular carcinoma (ALD-HCC); 2) evaluate how they interact at the cellular level in human samples and preclinical models to get novel insights into liver carcinogenesis and identify chemopreventive targets; and 3) assess how these determinants modulate the ALD-HCC risk in prospective cohorts of patients included in HCC surveillance programs. Environmental factors will be comprehensively characterised in an ongoing clinical trial designed to evaluate alternative methods for early-stage HCC detection. Finally, AI models, reaching the minimal viable product stage by the end of GENIAL, will be used to integrate genetic and non-genetic information (including digital imaging) to develop novel, cost-effective strategies towards prevention and early-stage detection of ALD-HCC in at-risk individuals.