THRIVE

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    TUMOUR-HOST INTERACTIONS IN LIVER CANCER OF CHILDHOOD AND ADULTS

  • IRAS ID

    344990

  • Contact name

    Helen Reeves

  • Contact email

    h.l.reeves@ncl.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    4 years, 11 months, 30 days

  • Research summary

    Liver cancer is a major health problem with ~1 million cases diagnosed each year (~90,000 cases/year in Europe) and it the 3rd cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a difficult to cure cancer (curation rate ~30%) with poor outcomes (median survival < 2 years in advanced stages), due to limited understanding of at-risk populations, resistance to therapies and lack of biomarkers that help us choose the best therapy for individual patients - called 'precision medicine'.

    THRIVE aims to improve the outcome of liver cancer patients by understanding at-risk populations and key interactions between the tumour and the affected person, or 'host'. We aim to identify biomarkers, ideally in blood or biopsy tissues, that help to choose the best treatment. With improved knowledge, we aim to develop novel, affordable treatments, that will be well-tolerated and overcome resistance.

    THRIVE brings together 13 partners from 8 countries and expects to;

    1. Define molecular features of liver cancer predisposition in those at risk.

    2. Develop a human liver cancer blueprint of tumour, non-tumour and immune cells.

    3. Identify AI-based molecular markers of liver cancer development and response to treatments.

    4. Implement a pre-clinical drug testing platform for discovery of affordable therapies with high social impact.

    5. Improve outcomes for patients at risk of and with liver cancer.

  • REC name

    North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    24/NW/0366

  • Date of REC Opinion

    10 Jan 2025

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion