Prevention of hepatobiliary cancers

Hepatobiliary cancers represent a significant problem around the globe. The most common hepatobiliary cancers are: liver cancer, cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer. In ESCALON, we aim to better understand how these tumors behave and to find ways to diagnose them early on. Through application of new technologies we will attempt to understand if hepatobiliary cancers can be predicted and diagnosed early through blood markers.

Goal

ESCALON aims to better understand how hepatobiliary tumors behave and to find ways to diagnose them early on. The project attempts to understand if hepatobiliary cancers can be predicted and diagnosed early through blood markers.

The challenge

Hepatobiliary tumors are difficult to predict and diagnose with the current standard methods. For example, liver cancer requires abdominal ultrasonography every 6 months in those at risk in order to “screen” for the tumor, so to find it at early stages. There is no accepted screening method for cholangiocarcinoma or gallbladder cancer. Moreover, diagnosis of these tumors usually requires invasive methods and complex imaging technology that is not readily available in many areas. In Latin America, these problems are exacerbated by a number of factors such as higher risk for these tumors and difficult access to specialized centers for some patients, among others.

News

Below an overview of all news and events related to ESCALON.

10 Feb 2020

First Newsletter

We have sent our first newsletter to all who were interested in ESCALON and its activities.

10 Feb 2020

Liver Cancer Summit

The next event that we will be attending is the Liver Cancer Summit- 6 to 8 February 2020 in Prague.

03 Feb 2020

Symposium

The 1st ESCALON Symposium was held in Cordoba, Argentina on November 15, 2019.

03 Feb 2020

ESCALON kick-off meeting

The ESCALON in person Kick-off meeting was performed on April 9th , 2019 in Vienna.

Team

The consortium is formed by physicians, scientists, epidemiologists, statisticians and media specialists in multiple countries across Europe and South America. Each task, designed to work on a different hepatobiliary cancer, is led by a center in one continent in close collaboration with a center in a different continent (Europe and South America).

José Debes

Gastroenterologist and tumor biologist

José Debes

Gastroenterologist and tumor biologist

Jose is a gastroenterologist and tumor biologist with expertise in viral hepatitis and cancer development at the Erasmus Medical Center. He is a native Spanish speaker (from Argentina) with a dual position in the United States and the Netherlands. Together with Andre Boonstra he will coordinate the overall project and lead the work package in hepatocellular carcinoma.

André Boonstra

Immunology of infectious diseases and cancer

André Boonstra

Immunology of infectious diseases and cancer

Andre is an expert in the immunology of infectious diseases and cancer at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam with extensive experience in viral hepatitis. Together with Jose Debes, he will lead the work package on hepatocellular carcinoma, and coordinate the ESCALON project.

Angela Bastidas Coral

Cell biology

Angela Bastidas Coral

Cell biology

Angela has a PhD in Cell Biology and she is the project manager of ESCALON at the Erasmus Medical Center. She is in charge of monitoring the project and submission of scientific-, technical- and financial reports to the European Commission. She also facilitates meetings with the partners of ESCALON and advisory boards.

Jesus Banales

Molecular biology expert

Jesus Banales

Molecular biology expert

Jesus is a molecular biology expert from Biodonostia Research Institute in Spain. He will participate in hepatocellular carcinoma studies and his team will lead the cholangiocarcinoma aspect of ESCALON.

Bettina Hansen

PhD-statistician

Bettina Hansen

PhD-statistician

Bettina is a PhD-statistician from Toronto University Hospital in Canada with extensive experience in statistical approaches in liver disease. She provides statistical expertise in all three working packages (hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer).

Marco Arresse

Gastroenterologist and hepatologist

Marco Arresse

Gastroenterologist and hepatologist

Marco is a gastroenterologist and hepatologist at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, in Santiago de Chile. His team will be involved in all 3 working packages (hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer).

Domingo Balderramo

Gastroenterologist

Domingo Balderramo

Gastroenterologist

Domingo is a gastroenterologist from Hospital Privado in Cordoba, Argentina. His team alongside with Pablo Romagnoli’s will participate in hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma and will have a leading role on several tasks on hepatocellular carcinoma.

Pablo Romagnoli

Immunology expert

Pablo Romagnoli

Immunology expert

Pablo is an immunology expert from Hospital Privado in Cordoba, Argentina. His lab alongside with the clinical team of Domingo Balderramo will co-lead tasks on hepatocellular carcinoma and participate in cholangiocarcinoma tasks.

Angela Lamarca

Oncologist

Angela Lamarca

Oncologist

Angela is an oncologist from University of Manchester in the United Kingdom who alongside with Juan Valle will provide critical input and expertise in cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer.

Arndt Vogel

Hepatologist

Arndt Vogel

Hepatologist

Arndt is an expert hepatologist from Hannover University in Germany. He will be involved in the hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma studies and will lead the data management package.

Jhon Prieto Ortiz

Hepatologist

Jhon Prieto Ortiz

Hepatologist

Jhon is a hepatologist from Centro de Enfermedades Hepaticas y Digestives, in Bogota, Colombia. He will participate in the hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma working packages.

Enrique Carrera Estupiñán

Gastroenterologist and hepatologist

Enrique Carrera Estupiñán

Gastroenterologist and hepatologist

Enrique is a gastroenterologist and hepatologist from Universidad San Francisco de Quito and Hospital Espejo in Ecuador. His team will be involved in all three aspects of ESCALON (hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer).

Ângelo Zambam de Mattos

Gastroenterologist and hepatologist

Ângelo Zambam de Mattos

Gastroenterologist and hepatologist

Angelo is a gastroenterologist-hepatologist from Universidade Federal de Ciencias de Saude de Porte Alegre in Brazil. Angelo will be involved in the hepatocellular carcinoma aspect of ESCALON.

Jesse van der Mark

Science communication expert

Jesse van der Mark

Science communication expert

Jesse is a science communication expert working for Sensu in The Netherlands.He will manage activities related to the visual dissemination, including video material, website, design templates, et cetera.

Publications

Here you can find all publications related to ESCALON.

Hepatocellular carcinoma, a unique tumor with a lack of biomarkers

Debes JD, Carrera E, Mattos AZ, Prieto JE, Boonstra A; ESCALON investigators. Ann Hepatol. 2019; pii: S1665-2681(19)32214-8. doi: 10.1016/ j.aohep.2019.07.009 PMID: 31494068.

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Hepatobiliary cancers in South America: disparity strikes

Debes JD, Boonstra A, Balderramo D, Mattos AZ, Arrese M; ESCALON investigators. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019; 4:581. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(19)30188-8 PMID: 31292069.

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Sorafenib for Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Survival Analysis From the South American Liver Research Network

S Leathers J, Balderramo D, Prieto J, Diehl F, Gonzalez-Ballerga E, Ferreiro MR, Carrera E, Barreyro F, Diaz-Ferrer J, Singh D, Mattos AZ, Carrilho F, Debes JD J Clin Gastroenterol. 2019; 53:464-469. doi: 10.1097/ MCG. 0000000000001085.

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Levels of cytokines in serum associate with development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with HCV infection treated with direct-acting antivirals

Debes JD, van Tilborg M, Groothuismink ZMA, Hansen BE, Schulze Zur Wiesch J, von Felden J, de Knegt RJ, Boonstra A. Gastroenterology.2018;154:515-517.e3.doi:10.1053/ j.gastro.2017.10.035

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Hepatocellular carcinoma in South America: Evaluation of risk factors, demographics and therapy

Debes JD, Chan AJ, Balderramo D, Kikuchi L, Gonzalez Ballerga E, Prieto JE, Tapias M, Idrovo V, Davalos MB, Cairo F, Barreyro FJ, Paredes S, Hernandez N, Avendaño K, Diaz Ferrer J, Yang JD, Carrera E, Garcia JA, Mattos AZ, Hirsch BS, Gonçalves PT, Carrilho FJ, Roberts LR Liver Int. 2018; 38:136-143. doi: 10.1111/liv.13502.

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Workpackages

Below an overview of the workpackages related to ESCALON.

Partners

We have formed a consortium that successfully established the epidemiology of liver cancer in South America involving multiple countries in the region. For this project we have expanded our network to other South American and European partners, incorporating area-specific experts and assembling a study team with unique characteristics in order to address the key needs related to hepatobiliary malignancies in the region.