NK cells and hepatitis C–related liver cancer
Official title: Role of NK cells in control of HCV infection associated hepatocellular carcinoma
Funded at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center · NIH-11207161 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether immune cells called natural killer (NK) cells help control liver cancer that can follow hepatitis C, especially in older patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2013 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX001894-12 |
| Project ID | NIH-11207161 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults with current or past hepatitis C infection, including older veterans under care at the Cleveland VA, who can provide blood samples and medical records.
✕Less likely to help
People without hepatitis C, or those who cannot provide samples or follow-up information, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
You may be asked to give blood and sometimes liver tissue so researchers can study NK cells in people with hepatitis C and in those who develop liver cancer (HCC). Researchers will compare NK cell activity, surface markers, and interactions with treatments such as PD‑1 blockers to see whether NK cells help control cancer. The work uses clinical data and samples from a large local VA patient group to find markers that predict higher HCC risk or better response to therapy. This could help doctors find HCC earlier or suggest immune-based treatment strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people with hepatitis C who are most at risk for liver cancer and point to new immune-based treatments.
How similar studies have gone: PD‑1 checkpoint inhibitors have shown benefit in some liver cancers, but studies specifically examining NK cell roles in HCV-associated HCC are limited and represent a relatively novel area of research.
Where this research is happening
-
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Anthony, Donald D — Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Anthony, Donald D
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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.