Hepatitis Patients Can Avoid Cancer
By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff Reporter
A team of Korean scientists uncovered how the human body works to stop
hepatitis B from causing liver cancer, providing an important clue for
preventing the deadly disease.
The team, led by Seoul National University professor Jung Gu-hong, on
Tuesday said they found a hormone-like substance, interferon gamma, is
involved in the prevention of liver cancer.
``We found interferon gamma plays a crucial role in mitigating liver
cancer-causing proteins in patients with hepatitis B,'' Jung said.
He expected the risk of liver cancer could be curtailed substantially by
injecting hepatitis B patients with interferon gamma if follow-up research
proves successful.
``We are preparing experiments on transgenic mice, genetically engineered
for the harmful hepatitis B virus. The animal test results will be available
by 2007,'' Lee said.
Hepatitis B is a contagious disease involving inflammation of the liver. It
is most commonly transmitted via viral infection, sexually or from mother to
child.
More than 400 million people in the world, including 3~4 million Koreans,
have chronic hepatitis B, which has a strong link to liver cancer.
Four out of five primary live cancer cases are caused by advance stages of
hepatitis B infection. In other words, hepatitis B is the No.1 enemy of
doctors fighting liver cancer.
``We hope our research will be able to reduce the risk posed to patients
with hepatitis B, one of the nation's most feared killer, or liver cancer,''
Jung said.
Jung's findings got international recognition as the U.S.-based medical
journal, Gastroenterology, reported them in its Internet edition early this
week.
On behalf of Jung's team, Seoul National University is expected to apply for
international patents for the breakthrough.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200503/kt2005031515594511860.htm
The Korea Times
[email protected]
03-15-2005 16:01 | 
发表于 2005-3-22 03:58
