Genetic Analysis of Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. While the molecular pathogenesis
of liver cancer has been extensively studied, less is known about how the molecular biology
of liver cancer influences clinical outcome and treatment response. We are developing a
translational research program that will characterize molecular changes in liver cancer. We
plan to use molecular information obtained from studying liver tumor tissues to develop new
diagnostics and treatment regimens for patients with these cancers. The experimental
approach will require freezing fresh tumor tissues obtained from surgical procedures, which
will be subsequently used for analysis of DNA, protein and mRNA expression. Many patients
with liver cancer are referred to the Stanford Liver Tumor Board for consultation and
treatment recommendations. We propose to gather tissue samples from those who subsequently
undergo biopsy, liver resection surgery, or transplant surgery.