Blood markers to catch early liver cancer in Hispanic people with hepatitis B
Official title: Biomarkers for Early Detection of Hepatitis B-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Hispanics
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11473605 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will see if a blood test can find liver cancer earlier in Hispanic people who have chronic hepatitis B.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | January 10, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $85,584 |
| NIH project number | 3R37CA297814-02S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11473605 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Hispanic adults with chronic hepatitis B infection who are willing to provide blood samples and share medical records for cancer monitoring.
✕Less likely to help
People without hepatitis B, those already diagnosed with liver cancer, or individuals outside the study’s recruitment regions are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
What this research studies
Researchers will measure immune-related proteins and other blood markers in people with chronic hepatitis B, focusing on Hispanic patients who tend to develop liver cancer at younger ages. They will compare marker patterns in people who later develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to those who do not, using samples and clinical data from participating clinics and networks. The team aims to develop a standardized blood-based screening approach that could be easier to follow and less dependent on operator skill than ultrasound. If successful, the blood test could help detect tumors before symptoms appear or before current ultrasound screening would normally start.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could allow earlier, easier detection of liver cancer in Hispanic people with hepatitis B, potentially making curative treatment more likely.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work by this research group found immune markers in serum that predicted future HCC up to two years before diagnosis, and blood-based HCC screening is promising though not yet standard of care.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Debes, Jose Daniel — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Debes, Jose Daniel
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Early blood markers to find hepatitis B–related liver cancer in Hispanics
This project will use immune-related blood markers to find liver cancer earlier in people with chronic hepatitis B, focusing on Hispanic adults.
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HBV integrations in KMT2B may drive liver cancer
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Blood test to detect early liver cancer in Hispanic people with hepatitis B
This project looks at whether a blood-based panel of immune markers can find early liver cancer in Hispanic adults who have chronic hepatitis B.
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Understanding how Hepatitis B causes liver cancer
This research explores how the Hepatitis B virus changes a specific gene to cause liver cancer, hoping to find new ways to help patients.
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Using blood tests to detect liver cancer in patients with hepatitis B in Nigeria.
This study is looking to create a simple blood test that can help find liver cancer in people with chronic hepatitis B by checking the levels of certain DNA in their immune cells, and it's for patients visiting gastroenterology clinics in Lagos, Nigeria.
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Finding blood markers to detect liver cancer early in Hispanic patients with hepatitis B.
This study is looking for blood tests that can help predict if people with hepatitis B, especially those in the Hispanic community, might develop liver cancer early on, making it easier to catch and treat the disease before it gets serious.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.