Georgetown University scientists have discovered a "new" molecular mechanism that may -- get this -- spontaneously cause liver cancer. Now that's a mouthful: cancer can be caused through some spontaneous molecule?The molecule in question disappears in the cells of 90 percent of human hepatocellular cancers, but the loss of only one copy of the embryonic liver fodrin (ELF) gene can result in what Georgetown scientists are saying is "spontaneous development of liver cancer."
Although Hepatocellular cancer has a very low five-year survival rate (no more than five percent), it is rising as a percentage of all cancers in the U.S. The good news is that the understanding of how to deal with very difficult liver cancer is increasing, and this latest ELF research could lead to a possible liver cancer treatment breakthrough when it's all dissected and consumed by the oncology community.
