Hereditary Genetics of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Project Narrative This project will examine the hereditary genetics of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), a devastating cancer of the liver with well-defined environmental risk factors, but with an undefined inherited genetic component. Here, we will complete a genetic association study to determine whether patients with HCC harbor rare inherited variants in genes at higher rates than in control populations, which could guide clinical recommendations for genetic testing. We will also determine whether inherited defects increase cancer cell susceptibility to specific drug therapies, which could change clinical practice and improve survival.