Early blood markers to find hepatitis B–related liver cancer in Hispanics
Official title: Biomarkers for Early Detection of Hepatitis B-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Hispanics
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11473604 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will use immune-related blood markers to find liver cancer earlier in people with chronic hepatitis B, focusing on Hispanic adults.
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) | $45,431 |
| NIH project number | 3R37CA297814-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11473604 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with chronic hepatitis B infection, particularly Hispanic individuals and those who might develop liver cancer at younger ages than typical screening guidelines cover.
✕Less likely to help
People without hepatitis B, those with other non-HBV liver diseases, or patients who already have advanced liver cancer are unlikely to benefit from this screening research.
What this research studies
You may be asked to give blood samples so researchers can measure immune-related proteins in your serum. The team will compare blood marker patterns from people with hepatitis B who later develop liver cancer to those who do not. They plan to see if these markers can flag cancer earlier than routine ultrasound screening, especially in younger Hispanic patients who can get cancer outside usual screening ages. The goal is a simpler, standardized blood-based screening option that could complement or reduce reliance on operator-dependent imaging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to a blood test that detects hepatitis B–related liver cancer earlier and more reliably, making curative treatments more likely.
How similar studies have gone: The investigators previously found immune markers in serum that predicted future liver cancer up to two years before diagnosis, so this approach has promising preliminary evidence but needs 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.
-
HBV integrations in KMT2B may drive liver cancer
Aims to understand how hepatitis B can cause liver cancer by studying HBV inserts in the KMT2B gene and how these changes affect liver cells.
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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.