High-risk hepatoblastoma spread control through NRF2 targeting
Official title: High-risk hepatoblastoma dissemination control by oncogenic NRF2
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11355601 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project studies how aggressive liver cancer in children spreads and how turning off NRF2 might prevent it, with the goal of helping kids with high-risk hepatoblastoma survive longer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | July 17, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,504,767 |
| NIH project number | 4R01CA282467-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11355601 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children diagnosed with high-risk hepatoblastoma, including metastatic or treatment-refractory disease, who may contribute to liquid biopsy analyses and related studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not fitting the high-risk HB category or not able to participate in serial liquid biopsy sampling may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
Children with high-risk hepatoblastoma have poor survival even with current treatments. The project uses patient-derived liquid biopsies to study circulating tumor cells and how NRF2 activity affects their ability to invade blood vessels and metastasize. The researchers aim to identify specific NRF2-driven mechanisms that fuel spread and therapy resistance and to guide the development of targeted, precision therapies. Results could lead to new treatment strategies that reduce metastasis and improve outcomes for affected children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from therapies that better control cancer spread and improve survival.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data show a feasible approach for sequencing CTCs from patient samples and suggest NRF2 involvement in metastasis, indicating potential but early-stage promise.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Woodfield, Sarah Elizabeth — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Woodfield, Sarah Elizabeth
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Controlling the spread of high-risk hepatoblastoma using NRF2
This work looks at how a protein called NRF2 helps high-risk hepatoblastoma spread in children, hoping to find new ways to stop it.
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Targeting specific immune cells to improve treatment for childhood liver cancer.
This study is looking at how certain immune cells might make it harder to treat hepatoblastoma, a type of liver cancer in kids, and aims to find out if getting rid of these cells can help make treatments work better.
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Controlling the spread of high-risk liver tumors in children
This study is looking at how certain cancer cells in the blood of children with hepatoblastoma, especially those with tougher cases, can make treatment less effective, and it hopes to find new ways to help these kids get better.
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Understanding liver cancer in children using stem cells
This study is looking at how a type of liver cancer called hepatoblastoma affects kids, and it's using special cells to learn more about the disease and find better treatments that could help young patients.
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Using blood DNA 5hmC markers and the SCCG chemotherapy protocol to predict response and monitor relapse in children with hepatoblastoma
This trial will test whether a blood-based DNA marker (5hmC) together with the SCCG treatment plan can predict chemotherapy response and detect recurrence in children and adolescents with hepatoblastoma.
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Pucotenlimab with lenvatinib and chemotherapy for children with advanced or relapsed hepatoblastoma
This study will test whether pucotenlimab combined with lenvatinib and irinotecan can help children aged 2–18 whose hepatoblastoma did not respond to prior treatments.
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.