Natural History of Cholangiocarcinoma
Principal Investigator – John Sorenson, MD
Co-investigator – Robin Kim, MD
Primary sclerosing cholangitis and inflammatory bowel disease are associated with a high risk for development of biliary cancers. A study looks at a variety of tissue samples from patients who have these conditions to learn how they change as cancer develops. This knowledge could lead to development of diagnostic tests that catch biliary cancer in its early stages; it could also allow researchers to identify molecular targets for new drugs to prevent or treat biliary cancer.
A New Biopsy Technique for Diagnosing Cholangiocarcinoma
Principal Investigator – John Sorenson, MD
Co-investigator – Robin Kim, MD
Cholangiocarcinoma is extremely difficult to diagnose with current techniques. Usually, major surgery is required to confirm whether it is present. This study uses a new, minimally invasive method to obtain bile duct biopsies. The technique was developed from the technology used for atherectomy, a procedure that removes the plaque caused by high cholesterol from inside large arteries. Here, similar equipment removes a thin ring of the bile duct tissue that pathologists can use to make a cancer diagnosis. Already, this technique has made it possible to rule out cholangiocarcinoma in numerous patients without requiring that they undergo surgery. The study continues to gather data comparing its effectiveness to conventional diagnosis techniques.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Risk Factor for Pancreas Cancer?
Principal Investigator – John Sorenson, MD
An unusual number of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have also been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer or have family members with this cancer. In the first study examining these two patient populations, researchers discovered an epidemiologic link that may place people with IBD at six times greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer than the general population. The study uses data from the Utah Population Database and the Utah Cancer Registry, and further studies are planned to help determine the mode of inheritance and appropriate pancreatic cancer screening approached for patients with IBD.
Methylation and Liver Carcinogenesis
Principal Investigator – John Sorenson, MD
Co-investigator – Robin Kim, MD
This clinical tissue banking study investigates methylation in liver tissues with various tumorous and nontumorous conditions. Abnormal DNA methylation occurs in many forms of human cancer, and it can prevent production of proteins that keep tumors from forming. Developing methylation profiles for various conditions may allow further development of new diagnostic tools and targeted therapies for both liver and bile duct cancers.
