The prestigious international scientific magazine Journal of Hepatology, one of the best in this speciality, recently published a research work conducted by the Osakidetza IIS Biodonostia Liver Disease group, proving the important role of the SOX17 gene, both in normal biliary epithelium development and in the malignancy process.

The study shows that the SOX17 gene is essential for normal biliary system formation, and that when absent, it favours the development and progression of biliary cancer (also known as cholangiocarcinoma). By studying 2 groups of patients with biliary cancer (San Sebastian and Copenhagen), it was discovered that SOX17 levels are a prognostic factor for these patients. Specifically, this finding provides for an early estimation as to the survival rate of patients who have undergone surgical removal of a biliary tumour. Moreover, the work indicates that this gene could act as a possible therapeutic target, and that regulating it could facilitate treatment of said tumours.

This is an international collaborative project, led by researchers from the Liver and Gastro-intestinal Research Department at the Basque Biodonostia Public Institute of Health Research, Drs Jesús Bañales (Researcher Ikerbasque, Miguel Servet and CIBERehd) and Luis Bujanda (Researcher CIBERehd, UPV/EHU and doctor specialised in Digestion at the OSI Donostialdea), acting as the basis for Maite Merino‘s doctoral thesis (researcher at IIS Biodonostia). The research project conducted by these three professionals was financed by the Carlos III Health Institute, the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and the Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (Spanish Association Against Cancer) (AECC) of Gipuzkoa.

Dr Bañales is coordinator of the “European Network for the Study of Cholangiocarcinoma” (www.enscca.org), comprised of 30 research groups from 12 European countries and the USA. Currently, this group is drawing up an international database on patients with cholangiocarcinoma, financed by a European body (European Association for the Study of the Liver, EASL). This database can provide important epidemiological information, risk factors, specific characteristics, etc., and could act as the base for future clinical studies to seek out new diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and effective treatments.

The magazine Journal of Hepatology is the EASL’s official magazine, a key source of information in the speciality.