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CURE’s liver cancer page features the latest cancer news and updates on liver cancer Through articles, videos, podcasts, and more, CURE brings readers the insights of experts, cancer survivors, patients, and advocates to ensure everyone is up to date in liver cancer.

After receiving a diagnosis of late-stage cancer, Marshall Morris, a former business owner, decided that he wanted to live life to the fullest and not let his prognosis turn into pessimism.

In June 2021, Morris was doing yardwork when he noticed painful itching. Thinking it was just poison ivy, the then 50-year-old shrugged it off. When the itch persisted, he went to the doctor who told him that the enzymes in his liver were elevated and that he needed to see a specialist.


The specialist diagnosed Morris with stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, a type of rare cancer found in the bile ducts inside the liver. Morris’ doctors originally planned to perform surgery to remove the tumor, but it was too large. Plans for a liver transplant similarly fell through when they realized that the cancer had spread too much throughout his body.

He then immediately underwent chemotherapy treatment and then started a clinical trial in October 2021. However, his prognosis remained poor. In January 2022, Morris was told by his doctors that he had six months to live.

Remaining optimistic and looking for solidarity online, Morris sought out support groups on Facebook but found them too focused on the negative aspects of life with cancer. Morris wanted a community that reflected his beliefs of positivity and living life to the fullest, but he couldn’t find it. So, he created one.

Eight days after his diagnosis, Morris founded Dying Defiantly, an organization that provides people with terminal illnesses with end-of-life, family and bereavement counseling as well as legal services.

In today’s episode of the “Cancer Horizons” podcast, Morris explains how Imfinzi (durvalumab) has significantly reduced the size of his tumor and improved his quality of life, the important role he believes his faith and mindset play in his experience with cancer, how Dying Defiantly has helped people throughout the world, his plans for the organization’s future and more.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

After Marshall Morris was diagnosed with a rare cancer and given only six months to live, he created a charity that empowers people with terminal illness and provides them with counseling and support. 

Creating a Charity 8 Days After a Rare Cancer Diagnosis: Dying Defiantly Founder Shares His Story

Making art out of cancer doesn’t sound easy. But renowned street artist James Cochran, also known as jimmy c, has done just that, with his latest piece of art, 

. In partnership with the Institute of Cancer Research in London, where it now lives, Cochran used a lab pipette to layer more than 50,000 dots of paint onto his canvas, to symbolize the creativity and commitment of the scientists who work every day to eradicate cancer.

 spoke with Cochran about what it was like to take on a project of this size, and what he hopes the painting will bring those who admire it.

In his interpretation of an image of liver cancer cells being attacked by “good” immune system cells, Cochran noted that he immediately was struck by the art he saw in the science of cancer research. “What was going on in the image biologically aside, I straightaway was drawn by the beauty of these biopsies,” he said. “My first thought was that it was aesthetically a very beautiful image.”

“In the end, I want it to be seen as a positive image,” Cochran concludes. “Hopefully one that can inspire transformation and healing within the patient.”

This week on the “CURE® Talks Cancer” podcast, we spoke with renowned street artist James Cochran about one of his art projects that was commissioned to symbolize the creativity and commitment of those who work tirelessly to eradicate cancer. 

Making Art From Cancer

 Talks Cancer podcast, we’re speaking with 

, a safer sex educator and comedienne who is living with advanced cholangiocarcinoma — a rare cancer of the liver bile ducts.

After a recurrence in the summer of 2018, Falzone decided to forego chemotherapy and instead make the most out of whatever time she had left. To her, that meant making amends with others who may have hurt her, telling friends and family that she loved them, traveling the world and, of course, maintaining a great sense of humor.

Maria Falzone won't let her diagnosis of advanced cholangiocarcinoma stifle her sense of humor.

Comedian Finds Humor in Life's 'Cosmic Joke': Advanced Cancer

For patients with unresectable, non-metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma, Lenvima plus Keytruda in combination with TACE improved outcomes.

Lenvima Plus Keytruda With TACE May Improve Liver Cancer Outcomes

SBRT improved local progression-free survival over RFA in small recurrent HCC, particularly in tumors 2 cm or less.

SBRT May Be Superior to Radiofrequency Ablation in Liver Cancer

Opdivo plus Yervoy shows efficacy and manageable safety as first-line treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in the CheckMate 9DW study.

Opdivo Plus Yervoy May Improve Survival and Responses in Frontline uHCC

Stereotactic body radiation therapy combined with Nexavar showed a clinically important improvement in overall survival in locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Stereotactic Body Radiation May Improve Survival in Liver Cancer Subset

Opdivo Qvantig received FDA approval for all previously approved indications in solid tumors.

Subcutaneous Opdivo Receives FDA Approval for Advanced, Metastatic Solid Tumors

CURE spoke with an expert about the potential positive effects of radiation therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

SBRT May Be a Viable Option for Patients With Liver Cancer

CURE recently spoke with Dr. Laura Dawson, a professor and chair of the department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto, and a practicing radiation oncologist in the Radiation Medicine Program at Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network in Toronto. She discussed radiation therapy as a possible option for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Specifically, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) before Nexavar (sorafenib) improved overall survival (OS) in patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, as shown in a 

READ MORE HERE: Stereotactic Body Radiation May Improve Survival in Liver Cancer Subset

SBRT, Dawson explained, involves the use of external beam radiation to deliver targeted radiation in controlled doses. This approach enables patients to undergo radiation treatment in fewer fractions, resulting in reduced treatment duration compared with conventional methods.

Seeing a radiation oncologist is important for most patients who have liver cancer. It doesn't mean radiation therapy would be offered, but it may be, and it's good to have multiple options and more people who can be a part of the circle of care for patients. I think that's the main advice for patients — ask to see a radiation oncologist — and hopefully [they will in turn] benefit from radiation.

[If I had to make a] comment about the study and the technical aspect of radiation is that [it is] challenging to give SBRT; however, the tools are available. They are available with imaging and computers to deliver [SBRT] very safely.

Additionally, the doses that are used to control liver cancers are lower than what are needed for some other kinds of cancer. HCC, the most common type of liver cancer, is relatively sensitive to radiation. It is good news that even large tumors where there needs to be some personalization or lowering of the dose of radiation, can be very effective for patients. Hopefully in the future, there'll be more trials and more access to radiation for many more patients around the world.

Transcript was edited for clarity and conciseness.

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subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

Despite treatment advancements and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals of drugs in the cholangiocarcinoma (a type of bile duct cancer) space in recent years, there are still many patients with this disease who are not eligible for targeted therapies as a first treatment option, highlighting a significant need for new developments in the field.

Over the past few years, there have been three Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals for drugs that treat cholangiocarcinoma: 

Pemazyre (pemigatinib) for previously treated advanced cholangiocarcinoma that has a FGFR2 rearrangement of fusion

Truseltiq (infigratinib) for previously treated, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR2 fusion or rearrangement

Tibsovo (ivosidenib) for cholangiocarcinoma that harbors an IDH1 mutation

Since the approvals are indicated for the treatment of specific characteristics of the disease, such as mutations or rearrangements, not everyone will be eligible to be treated with them, leaving a large population to still receive standard of care.

“The majority of patients will still, in the first line, see standard of care: gemcitabine (and) cisplatin. Another relatively new advancement in the space of cholangiocarcinoma was the addition of (Imfinzi; durvalumab), an immune-oncology drug added to standard of care, showing modest but still an improvement in responses,” said Jesper B. Andersen, associate professor and group leader at the University of Copenhagen and the Biotech Research and Innovation center at the Department of Health, in an interview with CURE®.

We certainly do have patients that, unfortunately, are not covered by any of those three drugs. (Those who) do not have the fusion, first of all, that might be around 10 or 12%, at best. Quite often, we actually see close to 5% of patients that have FGFR2 to fusion. So that's one it's a little broader, with (Truseltiq) against FGFR2 alterations, because there are FGFR 1 through 3 alterations and amplification, so on, so there's a little more alterations in that space. And (then there’s the) FGFR fusion itself.

And then IDH1 obviously is a very specific alteration. It is a point mutation, which is also what we call a “hotspot.” So there's only one alteration typically in that gene. And that is what (Tibsovo) is targeting. And that is again 10 to 15% of patients.

So the targeted therapies, not quoting me on the percentage, but we might be currently covering 25, or maybe 30% at best with those three approvals. So the majority of patients will still, in the first line, see standard of care: gemcitabine (and) cisplatin. Now there another relatively new advancement in the space of cholangiocarcinoma was the addition of (Imfinzi; durvalumab), an immune-oncology drug added to standard of care, showing modest but still an improvement in responses.

Despite several FDA drug approvals over the past few years in the cholangiocarcinoma space, many patients are ineligible for these treatments as a first option, signaling a significant unmet need.

‘Majority of Patients’ With Cholangiocarcinoma Still Receive Upfront Standard of Care Despite Recent FDA Drug Approvals

Liver Cancer Basics

Treatment for Liver Cancer

Liver Transplants in Liver Cancer

Non-Genomic Risk Factors for Liver Cancer

Beyond Treatment in Liver Cancer

CURE spoke with Dr. Marty T. Sellers and Dr. Laura M. Kulik, on behalf of the Blue Faery, about liver cancer and disease – its treatments, causes and areas outside of therapy.

Raising Awareness Around Liver Cancer and Disease

When renowned street artist James Cochran was asked by the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London to create a painting that combines art and cancer, he was uncertain of how to approach a project of this scale.

Now, after more than 250 hours of work applying 50,000 small dots of paint to a canvas more than four feet in width and diameter, using the 

 type of lab pipette used in cancer research, “Cell Defense” is now complete, and 

 in the ICR’s Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery as a symbol of the creativity and commitment of the scientists who work every day to eradicate cancer.

Cochran, also known as jimmy c, recently spoke with 

about how he worked with scientists at the institute to create the image of liver cancer cells being attacked by “good” cells from a patient’s immune system, and why the fusion of art and science interests him so much.

So, let's start things off just by talking a bit about this painting that you've created, comprised of 50,000 dots, using a lab pipette. You worked in partnership with the Institute of Cancer Research on this project. Can you tell me just a little bit about the project in general?

: Straight away, I liked the idea, because it was so unique, basically, and it was a challenge for me to try to create a painting using a teat pipette from a laboratory. And yeah, it was interesting, I liked the whole concept of the fusion of art and science.

For me, it was also the artistic aspect of just approaching an image in a whole new way. I think they proposed the idea of some images to me which came from biopsies. The one I ended up doing was a liver biopsy, showing cancerous cells under a microscope undergoing, or actually being attacked by good cells from the immune system.

But what was going on in the image biologically aside, I straight away, I was drawn by the beauty of these biopsies, they almost look like stained glass windows. I ended up meeting the computer scientists who render these images, and they do kind of add color into these images to sort of, you know, separate and define the different cells and so forth. But, my first thought was, it was aesthetically a very beautiful image.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to

Street artist James Cochran gives CURE® an inside look at his newest project: a piece of art he created by applying 50,000 small dots of paint to a canvas using a lab pipette. It will be displayed in the Institute of Cancer Research’s Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery as a symbol of the creativity and commitment of the scientists who work every day to eradicate cancer. 

When Art Meets Cancer Science

HIMALAYA trial investigators who are currently testing the combination of (the immunotherapies) tremelimumab and Imfinzi (durvalumab) in patients with inoperable, advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or liver cancer, say that positive phase 2 results could signal a “change in the treatment paradigm” for the disease — but further study is needed in phase 3 trials.

 sister publication, Dr. Bruno Sangro, of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra School of Medicine in Pamplona, Spain, discussed the importance of finding more potent and well-tolerated therapies in this disease space, and why immunotherapy drugs like the ones being investigated in the HIMALAYA trial are vital in this mission.

According to Sangro: “The wider the spectrum of choices, the better we will be able to treat our patients.”

: How could positive results from the HIMALAYA study impact the treatment paradigm for advanced HCC?

Sangro: We know that the combination of (the immunotherapy) atezolizumab (Tecentriq) and (the antiangiogenic) bevacizumab (Avastin) is better than (the kinase inhibitor) sorafenib in terms of prolonging survival in patients with advanced HCC that are naïve to systemic therapies. But, there is still room for improvement.

With the activity that we have seen with this combination of tremelimumab and Imfinzi, a 30% response rate and prolonged survival in the cohort of patients treated, I think it compares well with the preliminary activity we did see with the combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab.

If the HIMALAYA trial is positive, it may provide an alternative regimen that is absent of an antiangiogenic agent. What we need in the HCC field is more different combinations that are active. I don’t believe we should neglect the activity of any of the combinations that are currently being tested in phase 3 trials, including the combination of tremelimumab and durvalumab. Also, this includes combinations with TKIs (tyrosine kinase inhibitors), such as the combination of lenvatinib and (the immunotherapy) pembrolizumab (Keytruda).

The more combinations we have, the better, because we will have to adapt our treatments to the patients in terms of comorbidities and other circumstances that may make us able to tailor the choice of the activity to the profile of the patient.

What is your take-home message regarding this study?

We are witnessing a change in the treatment paradigm for HCC. It is clear that immunotherapy is in the HCC arena to stay, and that we have to build on the activity of (these) PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors to increase treatment efficacy, while preserving tolerability, to provide a spectrum of different active combination therapies, but not neglecting the possibility that patients may still benefit from single-agent immunotherapy. We should not forget that our patients are often elderly and frequently have different comorbidities. The wider the spectrum of choices, the better we will be able to treat our patients.

On the importance of finding more potent and well-tolerated therapies in hepatocellular carcinoma, Dr. Bruno Sangro explains: “The wider the spectrum of choices, the better we will be able to treat our patients.”
 

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