Trial Information

Molecular Analysis of Liver Cancer

OBJECTIVES:

- To characterize, at a molecular level, archived samples of tissue from young patients
with fibrolamellar carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma in non-cirrhotic livers
matched for age and sex.

- To perform genomic analysis on these tissue samples using array comparative genomic
hybridization.

- To perform targeted gene mutation analysis on these samples by PCR.

- To perform proteomic profiling on fixed tissues in these samples by various proteomic
methods, including IHC and mass spectrometry.

- To look for association between molecular aberrations and clinicopathologic features in
these samples.

OUTLINE: Archived tissue samples are collected from the pathology department at Vanderbilt
University Medical Center and from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Tissue samples
are analyzed by genomic analysis using array comparative genomic hybridization, target gene
mutation analysis by PCR, and proteomic profiling on fixed tissues using various proteomic
methods, including IHC and mass spectrometry. Samples are also examined for association
between molecular aberrations and clinicopathologic features found in each disease.

Clinical patient data (i.e., age, sex, race, date of diagnosis, risk factors, histology,
surgical staging, follow-ups, date of death, and adjuvant therapy) are also collected.