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Furthermore, the BCLC strategy for prognosis assessment and treatment allocation has been endorsed by major scientific associations and research consortia. The BCLC contributions have laid the foundation for the development of international practice guidelines based on scientific evidence as done by EASL, AASLD, WGO, ESMO and ILCA. Indeed, most guidelines have been lead by BCLC investigators.
The activity in translational research has primed the establishment of a molecular classification of liver cancer and elucidated some of the most relevant signalling pathways involved in tumour progression. In addition, studies have identified genomic signatures associated with different outcome either due to tumor progression or to liver disease progression. As a whole, the combined clinical and translational research is paving the path for stratified medicine.
The BCLC group work has resulted, along the years, in more than 600 publications, with an Impact Factor higher than 3.000, and a total citations number higher than 36.000.
Most relevant scientific articles
• Ferrer-Fabrega J., Forner A., Liccioni A., Miquel R., Molina V., Navasa M. et al. Prospective validation of ab initio liver transplantation in hepatocellular carcinoma upon detection of risk factors for recurrence after resection. Hepatology. 2016.
• Reig M., Marino Z., Perello C., Inarrairaegui M., Ribeiro A., Lens S. et al. Unexpected high rate of early tumor recurrence in patients with HCV-related HCC undergoing interferon-free therapy. Journal of Hepatology. 2016;65(4):719-726.
• Forner A., Reig M., Varela M., Burrel M., Feliu J., Briceno J. et al. Diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Update consensus document from the AEEH, SEOM, SERAM, SERVEI and SETH. Medicina Clinica. 2016.
• Nakagawa S., Wei L., Song W.M., Higashi T., Ghoshal S., Kim R.S. et al. Molecular Liver Cancer Prevention in Cirrhosis by Organ Transcriptome Analysis and Lysophosphatidic Acid Pathway Inhibition. Cancer Cell. 2016;30(6):879-890.
• Martinez-Quetglas I., Pinyol R., Dauch D., Torrecilla S., Tovar V., Moeini A. et al. IGF2 Is Up-regulated by Epigenetic Mechanisms in Hepatocellular Carcinomas and Is an Actionable Oncogene Product in Experimental Models. Gastroenterology. 2016;151(6):1192-1205.
Hightlights
The research activity of the Hepatic Oncology team has continued to focus on clinical and translational research in liver cancer. At the clinical level, it has been demonstrated the possibility of indicating liver transplantation in patients with early stage cholangiocarcinoma and this has led to the implementation of a clinical trial at an international level led by Barcelona. At the same time, the utility of liver transplantation has been validated in patients with a high risk of relapse after surgical resection. In addition, an international trial led by our group has shown the usefulness of systemic treatment of liver cancer with regorafenib in the second line, which represents a great milestone in the treatment of this neoplasm. Finally, thanks to the National Hepatitis Plan, an alarm signal has been identified regarding the treatment of the hepatitis C virus with direct antiviral agents. An excessively high rate of tumor recurrence has been detected in these patients and this has initiated a broader assessment of the safety of these agents internationally.
A major achievement has been the updating of clinical practice guidelines for hepatocellular carcinoma that have been adopted by different scientific societies (AEEH, SEOM, SETH, SERVEI and SERAM) and which are finally part of the portfolio of clinical guidelines of the Ministry of Health.
At the translational level, the molecular abnormalities that characterize liver tumors have continued to be characterized in a way that has continued to provide relevant information for a better understanding of the mechanisms that lead to the development and progression of this neoplasm. In this way, it is advanced for the future incorporation of new parameters for a personalized management of the patients in terms of both prevention and treatment.
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