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International Efforts to Combat Liver Cancer: IARC and ILCA Inititaives
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Announcement International Efforts to Combat Liver Cancer: IARC and ILCA Initiatives ILCS: International Liver Cancer Study Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the 3rd cause of death by cancer worldwide and 80% of these deaths occur in low resource countries. The main risk factors, namely, the combinations between hepatitis viral infections and various environmental factors, are, in theory, preventable. It is time to consider developing a global effort aimed at significantly reducing the burden of this cancer within the next generation, taking into account that this cancer is particularly difficult to treat. This will require a much improved understanding of the geographic, pathological, virological and molecular diversity of the disease, as well as the identification of reliable biomarkers for risk assessment, early detection and monitoring of the disease. Developing such an effort is the main objective of the International Liver Cancer Study (ILCS), a network of clinicians, epidemiologists and molecular biologists coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The initiative began in July 2005, when liver cancer was identified by the IARC Cancer Control Forum (a network of directors of large cancer centers around the world) as a priority for joint action in prevention, translational research, training and technology exchange. The initiative takes advantage of the existing strengths of participating National Cancer Centers from over 40 different countries, as well as of the expertise of IARC in coordinating international multi-centric studies. ILCS includes three overlapping phases: 1) implementation of standardized protocols for collection of data and biospecimens according to several study designs (case series, case-controls), for the constitution of an annotated multi-centric biological resource; 2) collaborative research on large-scale approaches for biomarker discovery and validation, using these collections to assess their significance with respect to detection, diagnosis and prognosis of HCC; and 3) building on this new knowledge, application of identified and validated biomarkers in intervention studies in different geographical and etiological contexts. During phase 1, a plasma proteomic-based discovery project is being performed as a front-runner. The proteomics analyses are coordinated by Dr Laura Beretta at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle who is the co-chair of the Human Liver Proteome Project, part of the Human Proteome Organization (http://www.hupo.org). This project compares plasma protein patterns in HCC from different geographic areas to identify the most significant biomarkers for early detection and diagnosis of the disease in specific etiological contexts. ILCS also operates as a network of existing or planned large case-control and cohort studies on liver cancer. Current parts of this network are cohorts in Gambia, in India, in Thailand, in China and in several European countries. ILCS will also provide a forum for assessing and reviewing the outcomes of preventive strategies and for turning them into recommendations and guidelines for implementation.
Launched as a pilot study in 2007, ILCS is now open for participation. Centers around the world with an interest in HCC are invited to join and to contribute within the framework of the study. Implementation of ILCS components is flexible and depends upon the priorities and possibilities in each participating center. All information about joining ILCS, as well as about the many different ways to participate, can be obtained at: http://ilcs.iarc.fr. Amelie Plymoth Paolo Boffetta Shu-Chun Chuang Pierre Hainaut IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer), Lyon France
ILCA: International Liver Cancer Association The ILCS initiative represents a major international research project that was presented during the 1st Conference of the International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) (http://www. ilca-online.org) held in 2007. The birth and growth of ILCA has been primed by the willingness of several investigators in different specialties and areas of knowledge to exchange research results and develop collaborative proposals. One of the major obstacles for the expansion of the current knowledge about all aspects of liver cancer is the too frequent lack of connection between investigators from different geographic origins and specialties. Hence, advancements in one field take too long to be translated into the other areas and the proper validation and implementation of new tools have been unnecessarily delayed. The success of the association and its annual meeting will be definitely consolidated by the time of the 2nd Conference (Chicago, September 2008), where major research advancements and proposals will be discussed. Certainly, such a transversal approach to a wide and complex field such as liver cancer will have to overcome difficulties and obstacles. Any proposal to prime a generous and frank exchange between scientific communities that occupy and/or compete for the same goals may initially face several challenges, but as any endeavor in the research domain, the sole driving force to undertake a novel project is the need to provide an answer to a relevant problem in the most effective way. Clearly, putting together experts from different fields and countries should be seen as a promising development and all those involved in ILCA look forward to its full recognition as an optimal forum to prime research in liver cancer and ultimately, help the population to prevent and treat this devastating disease. Jordi Bruix Josep M Llovet Peter Galle ILCA (International Liver Cancer Association)
Announcement International Efforts to Combat Liver Cancer: IARC and ILCA Initiatives ILCS: International Liver Cancer Study Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the 3rd cause of death by cancer worldwide and 80% of these deaths occur in low resource countries. The main risk factors, namely, the combinations between hepatitis viral infections and various environmental factors, are, in theory, preventable. It is time to consider developing a global effort aimed at significantly reducing the burden of this cancer within the next generation, taking into account that this cancer is particularly difficult to treat. This will require a much improved understanding of the geographic, pathological, virological and molecular diversity of the disease, as well as the identification of reliable biomarkers for risk assessment, early detection and monitoring of the disease. Developing such an effort is the main objective of the International Liver Cancer Study (ILCS), a network of clinicians, epidemiologists and molecular biologists coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The initiative began in July 2005, when liver cancer was identified by the IARC Cancer Control Forum (a network of directors of large cancer centers around the world) as a priority for joint action in prevention, translational research, training and technology exchange. The initiative takes advantage of the existing strengths of participating National Cancer Centers from over 40 different countries, as well as of the expertise of IARC in coordinating international multi-centric studies. ILCS includes three overlapping phases: 1) implementation of standardized protocols for collection of data and biospecimens according to several study designs (case series, case-controls), for the constitution of an annotated multi-centric biological resource; 2) collaborative research on large-scale approaches for biomarker discovery and validation, using these collections to assess their significance with respect to detection, diagnosis and prognosis of HCC; and 3) building on this new knowledge, application of identified and validated biomarkers in intervention studies in different geographical and etiological contexts. During phase 1, a plasma proteomic-based discovery project is being performed as a front-runner. The proteomics analyses are coordinated by Dr Laura Beretta at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle who is the co-chair of the Human Liver Proteome Project, part of the Human Proteome Organization (http://www.hupo.org). This project compares plasma protein patterns in HCC from different geographic areas to identify the most significant biomarkers for early detection and diagnosis of the disease in specific etiological contexts. ILCS also operates as a network of existing or planned large case-control and cohort studies on liver cancer. Current parts of this network are cohorts in Gambia, in India, in Thailand, in China and in several European countries. ILCS will also provide a forum for assessing and reviewing the outcomes of preventive strategies and for turning them into recommendations and guidelines for implementation.
Launched as a pilot study in 2007, ILCS is now open for participation. Centers around the world with an interest in HCC are invited to join and to contribute within the framework of the study. Implementation of ILCS components is flexible and depends upon the priorities and possibilities in each participating center. All information about joining ILCS, as well as about the many different ways to participate, can be obtained at: http://ilcs.iarc.fr. Amelie Plymoth Paolo Boffetta Shu-Chun Chuang Pierre Hainaut IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer), Lyon France
ILCA: International Liver Cancer Association The ILCS initiative represents a major international research project that was presented during the 1st Conference of the International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) (http://www. ilca-online.org) held in 2007. The birth and growth of ILCA has been primed by the willingness of several investigators in different specialties and areas of knowledge to exchange research results and develop collaborative proposals. One of the major obstacles for the expansion of the current knowledge about all aspects of liver cancer is the too frequent lack of connection between investigators from different geographic origins and specialties. Hence, advancements in one field take too long to be translated into the other areas and the proper validation and implementation of new tools have been unnecessarily delayed. The success of the association and its annual meeting will be definitely consolidated by the time of the 2nd Conference (Chicago, September 2008), where major research advancements and proposals will be discussed. Certainly, such a transversal approach to a wide and complex field such as liver cancer will have to overcome difficulties and obstacles. Any proposal to prime a generous and frank exchange between scientific communities that occupy and/or compete for the same goals may initially face several challenges, but as any endeavor in the research domain, the sole driving force to undertake a novel project is the need to provide an answer to a relevant problem in the most effective way. Clearly, putting together experts from different fields and countries should be seen as a promising development and all those involved in ILCA look forward to its full recognition as an optimal forum to prime research in liver cancer and ultimately, help the population to prevent and treat this devastating disease. Jordi Bruix Josep M Llovet Peter Galle ILCA (International Liver Cancer Association)