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Indian-origin doctor leads team to create new liver cancer framework
Indian-origin doctor leads team to create new liver cancer framework
A group of 20 North American liver cancer specialists led by Indian-origin scientist Dr Amit G Singal has developed a new framework to guide treatment decisions for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The framework,…
A group of 20 North American liver cancer specialists led by Indian-origin scientist Dr Amit G Singal has developed a new framework to guide treatment decisions for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The framework, called BEACON-HCC, was published in the journal Hepatology in August.
Singal, a professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern and chief of hepatology, said the framework became necessary because treatments for HCC have expanded rapidly without a universal decision-making system. BEACON-HCC advises analysing tumours biologically and through CT/MRI scans to see if cancer has spread into blood vessels, which changes treatment options.
The framework is not a new treatment but a guide to help doctors choose among surgery, liver transplantation, targeted therapy, radiation, drugs, immunotherapy, or combinations. Singal has collaborated with Indian doctors at Tata Memorial Centre, KEM Hospital, and Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute. He noted most liver cancer patients are still diagnosed at late stages, when curative options are limited.
Indian Opinion Analysis
HCC is the most common type of primary liver cancer and a leading cause of cancer death in India, where hepatitis B and C are major risk factors. The BEACON-HCC framework aims to standardise care in a field where no global consensus exists. For Indian hospitals, adopting such a framework could help triage patients more effectively between surgical and non-surgical treatments. The real test will be whether this North American framework is validated in Indian patient populations, which have different aetiology and access constraints. A key signal to watch is if Indian oncology bodies like the Indian Society of Gastroenterology consider adapting BEACON-HCC for local use.
Source: theprint.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
