A daily dose of aspirin will be prescribed to people living with chronic liver disease in a bid to lower their chances of developing a common and deadly form of liver cancer as part of a new Curtin-led clinical trial.
The five-year clinical trial, led by Professor John Olynyk from the Curtin Medical School, has been awarded more than $5 million from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 2024 Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grants.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a common type of liver cancer, is one of the main causes of morbidity and death globally in people diagnosed with cirrhosis - a type of chronic liver disease - contributing to more than 90 per cent of cases.
Professor Olynyk said the clinical trial had the potential to lower the chance of a person living with cirrhosis developing liver cancer by up to 50 per cent by using a simple, low-cost medication found in most household medicine kits.
"Current treatment options for people living with this common type of liver cancer often only add about three to six months to their life due to the late diagnosis of the cancer in over 80 per cent of cases, so the consequences are devastating," Professor Olynyk said.
"Aspirin is currently not recommended for treatment of cirrhosis, but previous epidemiological studies suggest it may be a safe, cost-effective medication that could prevent HCC in people with cirrhosis by up to 50 per cent. Testing aspirin prospectively in a clinical trial is the most appropriate way of assessing its effectiveness and safety, while also guiding appropriate recommendations for subsequent inclusion as a standard of care for people with cirrhosis.
"By offering new treatment options to those at risk of this deadly type of liver cancer, we could not only save lives but deliver significant benefits to the health industry, saving the Australian economy more than $70 million per year in direct health care costs."
Curtin University Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research Professor Melinda Fitzgerald congratulated Professor Olynyk and the research team on their funding success.
"This clinical trial may not only contribute to improving the life expectancy of those living with cirrhosis but also provide significant benefits to the health care industry and the Australian economy," Professor Fitzgerald said.
The clinical trial is a collaboration between Curtin University, The University of Western Australia, Murdoch University, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital, Flinders University, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
The project is titled 'Can Aspirin reduce the risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) in subjects with cirrhosis: a multi-centre, placebo-controlled clinical trial.'
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