Dr. Charlton on the Emergence of Biomarkers in HCC

Michael R. Charlton, MD, MBBS, professor of medicine, director of the Center for Liver Diseases, and co-director of the Transplant Institute at the University of Chicago Medicine, discusses the emergence of biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

A few years ago, Charlton believed the role of biopsies in HCC was diminishing, but with the emergence of biomarkers in the disease, his stance has changed. A presentation at the 2020 HCC-TAG Conference discussed different biomarkers in HCC and how the behavior of cells within a patient’s liver can help direct therapy at initial diagnosis or recurrence.

Research on biomarkers in HCC needs to continue; moreover, preliminary data indicate that biomarkers have meaning in the disease, according to Charlton. Retrospective data showed that falling transforming growth factor—ß levels during therapy was an important sign of response, says Charlton. The future of HCC treatment may shift based on biomarker findings and move more toward a personalized medicine approach moving forward, concludes Charlton.