http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/liver_disease/ Read the latest medical research on liver disease. What diets are best? Learn to recognize the symptoms of liver disease, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. en-us Sat, 26 May 2012 13:05:01 EDT Sat, 26 May 2012 13:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/liver_disease/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422162417.htm Soy protein could significantly reduce fat accumulation and triglycerides in the livers of obese patients by partially restoring the function of a key signaling pathway in the organ, according to new research. Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422162417.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419162402.htm People with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD) who consume alcohol in modest amounts – no more than one or two servings per day – are half as likely to develop hepatitis as non-drinkers with the same condition, report scientists. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419162402.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419091026.htm New data shows the gut microbiota's causal role in the development of diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, independent of obesity. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:10:10 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419091026.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120331151911.htm Metformin, a drug widely used to treat Type 2 diabetes, may help to prevent primary liver cancer, researchers report. The medication, which is derived from the French lilac, is being studied in connection with the prevention of a variety of cancers. This preclinical study is the first to focus on liver cancer. Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120331151911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120331151136.htm Metformin, a widely used, well-tolerated drug prescribed for patients with diabetes, may protect against liver cancer, according to a new study. Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120331151136.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120304141850.htm Scientists have shed light on how the liver repairs itself with research that could help develop drugs to treat liver disease. Sun, 04 Mar 2012 14:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120304141850.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213133504.htm Substances which suppress the immune system while simultaneously keeping viral infections in check would be an ideal drug for organ transplant recipients. Scientists have now demonstrated that specific substances with such an activity profile caused a state of stress in cells which promotes the replication of hepatitis B viruses. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:35:35 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213133504.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151029.htm Caffeine consumption has long been associated with decreased risk of liver disease and reduced fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Now, new research confirms that coffee caffeine consumption reduces the risk of advanced fibrosis in those with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. New findings show that increased coffee intake, specifically among patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, decreases risk of hepatic fibrosis. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151029.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201120742.htm Researchers have produced liver-like cells from induced pluripotent stem cells. By creating liver-like cells, scientists can study why people respond differently to Hepatitis C. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:07:07 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201120742.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131092458.htm Researchers have identified a cell-permeable peptide that inhibits a hepatitis C virus protein and blocks viral replication, which can lead to liver cancer and cirrhosis. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131092458.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124134429.htm A molecule embedded in the membrane of human liver cells that aids in cholesterol absorption also allows the entry of hepatitis C virus, the first step in hepatitis C infection, according to new research. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:44:44 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124134429.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116095842.htm Researchers have found a new way to block infection from the hepatitis C virus in the liver that could lead to new therapies for those affected by this and other infectious diseases. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116095842.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120115140053.htm Investigators have developed a novel strategy to protect the liver from drug-induced injury and improve associated drug safety. The team reports that inhibiting a type of cell-to-cell communication can protect against damage caused by liver-toxic drugs such as acetaminophen. Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120115140053.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110151718.htm A new classification for diagnosing fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus has shown to be as accurate as currently used algorithms, but required no further liver biopsy. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110151718.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105174224.htm Researchers have successfully performed the west coast’s first ex-vivo liver resection, a radical procedure to completely remove and reconstruct a diseased liver and re-implant it without any tumors. Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105174224.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120103165018.htm Doctors have known for years that the incidence of deadly liver cancer is on the rise, but what is causing that trend has remained a mystery. Two recent studies offer a clearer picture of the rise of hepatocellular carcinoma, or liver cancer, which has tripled in the IS in the last three decades and has a 10 to 12 percent five-year survival rate when detected in later stages. Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120103165018.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120103165016.htm Children with a rare, life-threatening disease that is the most common cause of neonatal liver failure -- biliary atresia -- better tolerate liver transplants from their mothers than from their fathers, according to a new study. Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120103165016.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120102180838.htm Scientists have now shown for the first time how a small RNA molecule that regulates gene expression in human liver cells has been hijacked by the hepatitis C virus to ensure its own survival -- helping medical scientists understand why a new antiviral drug appears to be effective against the virus. Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120102180838.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209105707.htm Cancer of the liver – rare in the United States but the third-leading cause of cancer death worldwide – can result from environmental exposures or infections like chronic hepatitis, but the link is poorly understood. Now, researchers have identified a mechanism in mice that triggers inflammation in the liver and transforms normal cells into cancerous ones. Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:57:57 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209105707.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111206131454.htm A new study of human patients shows that fatty livers actually burn more fat, not less. All that "hard work" may be at the root of the organ damage that comes with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition associated with insulin resistance that affects about one in three in the US population. The findings represent a paradigm shift in the connection between metabolism and fatty liver disease, as it was previously thought that fatty livers burned less fat. Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111206131454.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128120538.htm Medical researchers have identified serotonin receptors which can be targeted with drugs to enhance the natural healing properties of the liver. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128120538.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123190406.htm Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common condition associated with obesity and heart disease long thought to undermine health and longevity. But a new study suggests the condition does not affect survival. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:04:04 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123190406.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111117154637.htm Researchers have discovered a group of chemical compounds that might one day be developed into drugs that can treat malaria infection in both the liver and the bloodstream. Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:46:46 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111117154637.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111117141157.htm Recent studies have demonstrated that nanoparticles of cerium oxide -- common diesel fuel additives used to increase the fuel efficiency of automobile engines -- can travel from the lungs to the liver and that this process is associated with liver damage. Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111117141157.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111108132909.htm Desperately needed adult living donor liver transplantation is a safe surgery for the donor, according to researchers. The study looked at donor safety from a single center over a period of 10 years and found there were no patient deaths and no life-threatening complications requiring ICU care. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111108132909.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111107160142.htm Health care costs for hepatitis C patients with end-stage liver disease are nearly 2.5 times higher than those in the early stages, according to a new study. Although infection with the hepatitis C virus increases health care costs overall, the specific impact of the disease's progressive severity on health care costs has previously not been well studied. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:01:01 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111107160142.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111101171027.htm Patients who have received a solid organ transplant, such as kidney, liver, heart or lung, have an overall cancer risk that is double that of the general population, with an increased risk for many different types of malignancies, according to a new study. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:10:10 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111101171027.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025122613.htm A paradox in understanding insulin resistance is figuring out why insulin-resistant livers make more fat. Insulin resistance occurs when the body does a poor job of lowering blood sugars. The signals to make lipid after a meal come from hormones -- most notably insulin -- and the direct effect of nutrients on the liver. Researchers describe the pathway that insulin uses to change the levels of gene expression that control lipid metabolism. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025122613.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024084717.htm The human liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis affects more than 35 million people in South East Asia and 15 million in China. The complete genome sequence the genome of C. sinensis has provided insight into the biochemical pathways available to the fluke and shows that they are lacking enzymes required for fatty acid biosynthesis. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024084717.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111016132053.htm Researchers have identified a large number of areas in the human genetic code that are involved in regulating the way in which the liver functions, in a new study of over 61,000 people. The work identifies 42 genetic regions associated with liver function, 32 of which had not been linked to liver function before. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 13:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111016132053.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006173451.htm A new study finds liver cancer incidence rates continue to increase in some low-risk parts of the world such as North America, and are decreasing in some of the highest risk countries of Asia. Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006173451.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110930195139.htm A combination of an oral drug, called sorafenib, and a method for injecting microbeads of chemotherapy directly into tumors has been proven safe for liver cancer patients and may improve outcomes for those who have these fast-growing, deadly tumors whose numbers are on the rise in the US. Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:51:51 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110930195139.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929103226.htm Researchers have identified eight risk factors for potential re-transplantation failure and, using mathematical modeling, developed a risk scoring system ranging from 0 to 12 to gauge the risk of re-transplantation failure. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929103226.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110927112415.htm New research shows liver transplantation candidates without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) derive a greater survival benefit from a living donor liver transplant (LDLT) than waiting for a deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT). Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110927112415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110927112041.htm Patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis have a lower incidence of liver-related complications and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), according to a new prospective study. Patients with both NAFLD and HCV had similar mortality rates. Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110927112041.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919151324.htm Our livers can fight back against the immune system -- reducing organ rejection but also making us more susceptible to liver disease. Scientists have seen for the first time (in mice) how the liver goes independent, engulfing and destroying the body's defense troops -- T-cells. Their discovery opens the way to both new approaches to transplant rejection, and to the fight against hepatitis and other chronic liver diseases. Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919151324.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919113544.htm Despite the fact that hepatitis C virus (HCV) persists chronically in about 80 percent of those infected, some liver cells remain free of the virus even after many years. Now researchers explain that paradox. During chronic HCV infection, a cellular protein, HMGB1, helps restrain viral reproduction. That prevents HCV from sweeping the liver, and results in a lower blood burden of virus than in the case of hepatitis B. Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919113544.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913103058.htm Hopes for an effective vaccine and treatment against the potentially fatal hepatitis C virus (HCV) have received a major boost following the discovery of two 'Achilles' heels' within the virus. Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913103058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110907163904.htm New research shows that inhibition of the Sab protein prevents liver damage associated with acetaminophen overdose. The results suggest that inhibition of the protein can protect against various types of cellular death in any organ. Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110907163904.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110901163925.htm Researchers have discovered that dendritic cells in the liver have a protective role against the toxicity of acetaminophen, the widely used over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer for adults and children. Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110901163925.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110830101601.htm Transplantation specialists have proposed changes to the allocation and distribution of organs used for liver transplants. The recommended policy modifications take into account the scarcity of available organs, ensuring rapid allocation and delivery of the organ to those most in need in order to reduce mortality for waitlisted patients. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110830101601.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822101943.htm The U.S. Food and Drug Administration declared hepatitis G non-harmful in 1997, but researchers in Saudi Arabia present evidence to suggest that it causes liver disease and cancer. Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822101943.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822091617.htm New research suggests that saffron provides a significant chemopreventive effect against liver cancer in animal models. When saffron was administered to rats with diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver cancer an inhibition of cell proliferation and stimulation of apoptosis was observed. Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822091617.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822091612.htm Analysis revealed survival for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is achievable using 90Y-resin microsphere radioembolization. The analysis conducted at multiple centers across Europe showed that the procedure is likely to provide survival benefit across different tumor stages, including patients with advanced liver cancer and with limited treatment options. Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822091612.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802085821.htm One in six people over 75 are likely to have at least one abnormal liver test and those that have two or more are twice as likely to die from cancer and 17 times more likely to die from liver disease. Researchers studied 13,276 patients who were registered with 53 family doctors and agreed to an in-depth health assessment. Patients were drawn at random from the general population and those who were terminally ill or living in nursing homes were excluded. Tue, 02 Aug 2011 08:58:58 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802085821.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110726160118.htm With hepatitis B infecting as many as 10 percent of people of Asian descent, operations researchers collaborated with a liver transplant surgeon to develop mathematical models that verified the cost effectiveness of hepatitis B interventions. These interventions now successfully screen, treat, and vaccinate millions of Asian and Pacific Islander adults in the US and millions of children in China, according to a new paper. Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110726160118.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110721101505.htm Incidence rates of hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma have increased in the US. A new study found that metabolic syndrome significantly increases risk of developing these primary liver cancers. Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110721101505.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110721101503.htm Researchers have determined that increased body mass index (BMI) is an independent predictor of clinical decompensation in patients with compensated cirrhosis, independent of portal pressure and liver function. Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110721101503.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110706104759.htm Altering the body's metabolism could be an effective treatment for deadly liver cancer, researchers report. The finding that inhibiting heat shock transcription factor 1, or HSF1, prevents liver cancer in mice also is another wake-up call that a low-fat, healthy diet is an effective cancer deterrent. HSF1 and its target genes are important to metabolism regulation. Wed, 06 Jul 2011 10:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110706104759.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110705123344.htm Cancer cells are well known for their altered metabolisms, which may help them generate the energy they need for rapid growth. Using an emerging imaging technology, researchers have discovered that those metabolic shifts actually develop even before detectable tumors form. By the same token, the studies in mice with liver cancer show that the altered tumor metabolism shifts back before established tumors shrink. Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110705123344.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110705071646.htm Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer, is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Few treatment regimens are successful, because the disease is complex and poorly understood. Medical researchers used a simple animal model -- the zebrafish -- to unravel new genetic clues as to how HCC could be more effectively diagnosed and managed in patients suffering from the disease. Tue, 05 Jul 2011 07:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110705071646.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110703133844.htm A genome-wide study has identified a genetic variant associated with the development of liver cancer in chronic hepatitis C virus carriers. The findings are based on a study of 3,312 Japanese individuals. Sun, 03 Jul 2011 13:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110703133844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110628112318.htm Targeted multi-drug treatments for hepatitis C patients that could stop the virus in its tracks have come a step closer, thanks to new research. Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110628112318.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110628111852.htm New research confirms that a variant on the patatin-like phospholipase-3 (PNPLA3) gene increases risk of steatosis and fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). The PNPLA3 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs 738409 may represent an important genetic predictor and potential therapeutic target in chronic HCV liver damage. Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110628111852.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622072755.htm A small, retrospective study determined that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was safe in patients with significant coronary artery disease (CAD) who were referred for liver transplantation. Larger studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of angioplasty in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD). Wed, 22 Jun 2011 07:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622072755.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110620161302.htm A surprising finding in a study comparing hepatitis C virus (HCV) with hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections in chimpanzees sheds new light on the nature of the body's immune response to these viruses. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110620161302.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110620161155.htm Researchers thought that Hepatitis C might become chronic by disrupting the host's interferon response -- part of the innate immune system that protects the body against any kind of "foreign" invader. However, in comparing data from experiments with Hepatitis A and Hepatitis C, scientists found that Hepatitis A virus, which causes only acute, self-limited disease, is more efficient at inhibiting the host's interferon response, and that the virus can actually linger in the body for almost a year. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110620161155.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110614115041.htm Noninvasive tests for liver fibrosis, such as liver stiffness measurement or the FibroTest, can predict survival of patients with chronic hepatitis C. Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110614115041.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110610081716.htm Although liver-related mortality among those infected with hepatitis C is well documented, little is known about deaths in these patients that are not related to liver problems. A new study sought to determine mortality from all causes, including liver- and non-liver-related deaths among hepatitis C patients in the general U.S. population. The analysis found mortality from all causes to be higher in these patients. Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110610081716.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110607105212.htm Advanced hepatitis C patients with chronic liver disease may benefit from drinking coffee during treatment, according to a new study. Patients who received peginterferon plus ribavirin treatment and who drank three or more cups of coffee per day were two times more likely to respond to treatment than non-drinkers. Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110607105212.htm