Blood test to detect 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-11258005 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
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) | $416,887 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA297814-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258005 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Hispanic adults with chronic hepatitis B, especially those followed at participating centers or who are younger than typical screening ages, would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without hepatitis B, those already diagnosed with liver cancer, or patients whose liver disease stems from a different cause may not benefit from this specific biomarker effort.
What this research studies
If you are a Hispanic person living with chronic hepatitis B, researchers will study blood samples to look for immune-related signals that change before liver cancer appears. The team will use samples and data from their South American Liver Research Network and partner sites to compare people who later develop hepatocellular carcinoma with those who do not. This approach aims to create a standardized blood test that could be easier to do and follow than twice-yearly liver ultrasounds. The goal is to find markers that show up up to years before a tumor is visible so treatment can start earlier.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could enable earlier, simpler blood-based detection of liver cancer in people with hepatitis B, increasing the chance of curative treatment.
How similar studies have gone: The investigators previously found immune markers that predicted future liver cancer up to two years before diagnosis, so there is promising preliminary evidence but the approach still needs broader validation.
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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Blood markers to catch early liver cancer in Hispanic people with hepatitis B
This project will see if a blood test can find liver cancer earlier in Hispanic people who have chronic hepatitis B.
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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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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.