Melbourne researchers are revolutionising liver cancer treatments by improving our understanding of how tumours are formed.
The cell of origin, where a tumour begins, plays a crucial role in shaping cancer characteristics and guiding treatment strategies. However, the cellular origin of different types of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer, has not yet been discovered.
“This research aims to identify, for the first time, the cells of origin and biological changes that drive one of the most common mutant subtypes of HCC, which represents around 30-50 per cent of cases,” said Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) researcher Dr Philip Arandjelovic.
Dr Philip Arandjelovic from Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI)
“This knowledge could transform how liver cancer is treated and could pave the way for new personalised medicines,” Dr Arandjelovic added.
Dr Arandjelovic and team are using engineered models to directly mutate a protein that is responsible for nearly half of HCC cases.
Recent data from the Victorian Cancer Registry revealed that liver cancer mortality rates have increased by 191 per cent over the past four decades, making it one of the fastest-growing cancer mortality rates in Victoria. In 2022, 450 Victorians lost their lives to liver cancer, representing a 4.9 per cent increase from the previous year.
Dr Arandjelovic said they already have some interesting preliminary findings that are pointing them to potential answers.
“You can’t rush biology, but we hope that within a few years we should have a much better understanding of what’s really driving this common form of liver cancer,” he said.
Dr Arandjelovic said funding from Cancer Council Victoria has been the lifeblood for this project.
“Funding is what keeps the research engine running. The awarding of this Fellowship represents a turning point in my career trajectory towards becoming an independent researcher in the liver cancer field.”
Dr Laura Porter from Monash University is unlocking the potential of CAR T cell immunotherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer
This groundbreaking research is one of four projects supported by Cancer Council Victoria’s $1.8 million Postdoctoral Research Fellowship program which provides a launching pad for early career researchers, helping to build careers in cancer research.
The other early career projects awarded include:
- Promoting cell growth to prevent the spread of head and neck cancer, Dr Yuchen Bai, University of Melbourne
- Novel combination treatment strategy to fight malignant pleural mesothelioma, Dr Milad Ghomlaghi, Monash University
- Unlocking the potential of CAR T cell immunotherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer, Dr Laura Porter, Monash University
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