Globally, liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death. It’s not only important to GLI to keep you updated; we value your input and updates. This is a reminder to Liver Cancers Council members and supporters to share news to be featured in our monthly newsletter or on our Liver Central website.
White House Plans to nominate Dr. Monica Bertagnolli for NIH director
The White House plans to nominate Dr. Monica M. Bertagnolli to be the next director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Bertagnolli is an oncologist who was the director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for the last six months as well as a cancer survivor herself. She is the first woman to run the NCI and will be the second woman to run NIH. Read more here.
Despite low health literacy in Hispanics, researchers find high adherence to cancer screenings
A study from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University on cancer health literacy revealed that most of the Hispanics surveyed were not aware of the age to begin cancer screenings. The report from Regenstrief Institute exposes the gaps in cancer health literacy among Hispanics in Indiana. There were a variety of factors that influenced health literacy, including income, age, and urban/rural residency. Despite low health literacy of guidelines, there was still a high adherence to cancer screenings – a reminder that a complete picture of the evidence is necessary to avoid misunderstanding the situation.
The Role of ATF4 in Liver Cancer
A study by scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine investigated the role of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), a protein that is a key mediator of the liver stress response. ATF4 was thought to be linked to advanced liver cancer, but the study found that the protein actually protects the liver from the death of liver cancer cells and the formation of tumors. Specifically, ATF4 protects against ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of liver cell death. These results were unexpected and can now pave the way for new clinical strategies for liver cancer and liver disease prevention.
The LGBTQIA+ community continues to face cancer inequities
June is Pride Month. To bring awareness to the lack of liver cancer research and to highlight inequities that this population faces, GLI convened a health equity roundtable featuring professionals from the field to discuss issues, research needs, and next steps. Make sure to watch our LGBTQIA+ Health Equity roundtable here.
Upcoming Events:
- June 2-6, 2023: ASCO Annual Meeting, Sarah Manes will be attending; please reach out to schedule a meeting!
- June 4, 2023: National Cancer Survivors Day
- June 8, 2023: International NASH Day
- June 21-24, 2023: EASL Congress 2023; GLI will be in Vienna, pass by our stand to say hello or email info@globalliver.org to set up a meeting with us.
- June 24, 2023: Hepatic Multidisciplinary Team workshop
- Jun 27, 2023: Innovating & Advancing Research in Liver Cancers
- July 28, 2023: World Hepatitis Day
For more information about the Liver Cancers Council or to learn more about joining, please visit https://globalliver.org/liver-cancers-council/ or email cancer@globalliver.org.