Perspectum Partners in a New Study in Singapore for the Early Detection of Liver Cancer using Precision Medicine

Singapore, 4th May 2021 – Perspectum, in collaboration with the National Cancer Centre of Singapore (NCCS) and other partners, launch a landmark study for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in high-risk individuals.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer. Worldwide, it is the 6th most common cancer and in Singapore, HCC has been ranked as the third and fourth most common cause of cancer death amongst males and females, respectively [1].

HCC can potentially be treated effectively if it is detected early, but currently only 20% of HCCs are detected at a stage where curative treatment is possible. Patients with pre-existing liver conditions such as fatty liver, liver cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis are known to be at a high risk of developing HCC, yet very few tests are able to detect HCC early in clinical practice [2]. An urgent unmet need exists for new biomarkers to improve outcomes for individuals at high risk of developing HCC. This will be addressed by a collaborative multi-centre study, EarLy DEtection of HCC: miRNA, microbiome and imaGing biomArkers in the evolution of chroNiC livEr disease in a high-risk prospective cohort (ELEGANCE), led by NCCS together with private and public sector partners.

The ELEGANCE study’s objective is to recruit 2000 participants who are under surveillance for developing HCC in Singapore. Participants will receive blood, urine, stool and genetics tests, ultrasound imaging as well as Perspectum’s advanced non-invasive multiparametric MRI technology, LiverMultiScan® (see Figure 1). LiverMultiScan will be used to quantitatively assess liver tissue health, providing measures of liver fibro-inflammation and fat, which are key indicators of liver disease [3]. These measures have been shown to correlate with liver biopsy and to predict clinical outcomes in patients with chronic liver disease [3-5].

Perspectum will combine their expertise in quantitative imaging and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop a precision medicine approach to quantify a patient’s individual risk of developing HCC and to assist with early detection of HCC. Perspectum’s hope is to contribute to the overall study objectives, which are to support the development of precise clinical tools to detect and diagnose HCC early enough to cure it, while providing more cost-effective methods to improve patient outcomes and identify novel therapeutic targets.

“We are looking forward to our collaboration with Perspectum as their expertise in AI and precision medicine will be able to give patients a new way to predict their risk of disease. Having cared for patients with liver cancer for more than 20 years, I see a pressing need to better predict this disease, diagnose it early and improve treatment outcomes,” said Prof Pierce Chow, Principal Investigator of the study and Senior Consultant, Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Singapore General Hospital and National Cancer Centre Singapore.

References

[1] Chow, P. K. et al. (2016). National Cancer Centre Singapore Consensus Guidelines for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Liver Cancer, 5(2), 97–106. https://doi.org/10.1159/000367759

[2] Tsuchiya, N., et al. (2015). Biomarkers for the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 21(37), 10573–10583. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v21.i37.10573

[3] Banerjee, R., et al. (2015). Evidence of a Direct Effect of Myocardial Steatosis on LV Hypertrophy and Diastolic Dysfunction in Adult and Adolescent Obesity. JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging, 8(12), 1468-1470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmg.2014.12.019

[4] Jayaswal, A., et al. (2020). Prognostic value of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging, transient elastography and blood-based fibrosis markers in patients with chronic liver disease. Liver International, 40(12), 3071-3082. https://doi.org/10.1111/liv.14625

[5] Imajo, K., et al. (2021). Quantitative multiparametric MRI can aid NASH diagnosis in a Japanese cohort. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 27(7), 609–623. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v27.i7.609

Figure 1: Quantitative MR images of the liver from six patients with liver cancer, produced by Perspectum’s LiverMultiScan. Published in Mole DJ et al. Plos One. 2020;15(12):e0238568.

About Perspectum

Perspectum, a global medical technology company with offices in the U.K., the U.S. and Singapore, delivers leading digital technologies to help clinicians provide better care for patients with chronic metabolic diseases, multiorgan pathologies and cancer. With a strong focus on precision medicine using advanced imaging and genetics, our vision is to empower patients and clinicians through quantitative assessments of health enabling early detection, diagnosis, and targeted treatment. With a diverse team of physicians, biomedical scientists, engineers and technologists, Perspectum offers a way to manage complex health problems at scale.

For more information, visit www.perspectum.com and watch a video outlining our mission by clicking here.

About LiverMultiScan

LiverMultiScan is a non-invasive multiparametric MRI technology, which quantitatively assesses the health of liver tissue. It provides three measures, fibro-inflammation (cT1®), liver fat (PDFF) and liver iron (T2*), which are key hallmarks of liver disease. These measures have been shown to be accurate and to correlate with liver biopsy. For predicting clinical outcomes in patients with chronic liver disease, LiverMultiScan’s metrics have been shown to outperform other non-invasive tests and have similar performance to liver biopsy. LiverMultiScan has also been shown to outperform other non-invasive tests for identifying patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

LiverMultiScan is FDA cleared in the U.S.A., CE marked by notified body BSI 2797 in Europe and also cleared in Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand and listed on the ARTG in Australia to aid clinicians in the diagnosis of liver disorders and abnormalities.

About the National Cancer Centre of Singapore

National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) provides a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to cancer treatment and patient care. We see close to 65 per cent of the public sector oncology cases, and they are benefiting from the sub-specialisation of our clinical oncologists.

To deliver among the best in cancer treatment and care, our clinicians work closely with our scientists who conduct robust cutting-edge clinical and translational research programmes which are internationally recognised.  NCCS strives to be a global leading cancer centre, and shares its expertise and knowledge by offering training to local and overseas medical professionals.

For more information, visit www.nccs.com.sg