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NCI Consortium Liver Cancer Pooling Project

Principal Investigator
Name
Katherine McGlynn
Degrees
-
Institution
NCI, DCEG, HREB
Position Title
-
Email
About this CDAS Project
Study
PLCO (Learn more about this study)
Project ID
2011-0187
Initial CDAS Request Approval
Aug 31, 2011
Title
NCI Consortium Liver Cancer Pooling Project
Summary
Incidence and mortality rates of liver cancer have been increasing in the United States for over 30 years. The etiology of liver cancer in the U.S., however, is poorly elucidated. An examination of known risk factors in the SEER-Medicare database found that only 52% of liver cancer was linked to excessive alcohol consumption (16%), hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (10%), hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (5%), or some combination of the three factors (21%). A small proportion ( less than or equal to5%) of liver cancer is linked to rare inherited disorders such as hemochromatosis and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. The remaining 40-45% of liver cancer in the U.S. remains unexplained at the current time. Thus, an examination of other putative factors might greatly enhance the current understanding of the etiology of liver cancer in the U.S. Identification of novel risk factors may also help to elucidate why incidence and mortality rates are rising.In order to study the etiology of liver cancer using a prospective design, the Liver Cancer Pooling Project (LCPP), nested within the NCI Cohort Consortium, was initiated in 2009. Sixteen U.S. based cohorts are contributing questionnaire data and serum samples to the LCPP. Questionnaire data from PLCO participants have already been approved for this consortial effort. As excessive alcohol consumption, HCV infection and HBV infection are known causes of liver cancer, it is critical that adjustment for these variables be made in analyses of novel risk factors. As a result, with this application we seek to obtain serum samples from PLCO participants who developed liver cancer, and from matched controls. With serum samples from 89 liver cancer cases, PLCO is the second largest cohort with serum in the pooling project. The serum samples will be used to determine HBV and HCV status, in order that the questionnaire-based analyses can adjust for viral infection status. As these hepatotropic viruses are known causes of liver cancer, no primary hypothesis testing will be done. HBV and HCV infection status will be used solely as adjustment factors in questionnaire-based analyses of novel risk factors.
Aims

1. The specific aim of this application is to determine serologic HBV and HCV infection status of liver cancer cases and controls. 2. HBV and HCV infection status will be used in analyses of questionnaire-based risk factors, including reproductive history, vitamin supplement use, folate intake, use of anti-inflammatory medications, coffee consumption, tea consumption, cigarette smoking and other factors.

Collaborators

Katherine McGlynn, PhD for the Liver Cancer Pooling Project Investigators. Please see complete list of investigators in attached document (p1-4). (HREB, DCEG, NCI, NIH)

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