Surgical Oncology

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Steven A. Curley, MD Research Interests: Hepatocellular carcinoma, liver neoplasms, neoplasm metastasis, hepatitis

In the first area, we have been involved in the development of several regional and direct therapies to treat malignant liver tumors. We have investigated the role of collagen matrix gel combined with cytotoxic chemotherapy agents injected directly into the tumor as a therapy for patients with primary and metastatic liver cancer and as a postoperative therapy to prevent local recurrence in patients with locally advanced cancer. Seven years ago, we began preclinical studies utilizing radiofrequency ablation for thermal destruction of hepatic malignancies. The preclinical studies led to clinical trials that began 5 years ago. Our group has now performed radiofrequency ablation in more than 450 patients with primary or metastatic hepatic malignancies, and we have defined the indications, limitations, and complications associated with this treatment. The results of our phase I and II clinical trials utilizing radiofrequency ablation led to successful United States Food and Drug Administration approval of radiofrequency ablation as a treatment in patients with hepatic malignancies.

In the second area of research, we have recently demonstrated that chronic hepatitis B virus infection leads to a number of alterations in control of translational activating genes that ultimately may be involved in producing the malignant and metastatic phenotype. The recognition of the molecular signaling pathways involved in this process has led to the design of new molecular therapeutic strategies that are currently being tested in our laboratory. We are also investigating the role of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in hepatocellular cancer tumorigenesis in order to design diagnostic and therapeutic tools for hepatocellular cancers arising from this chronic viral illness. Both hepatitis B and C viruses continue to be major public health problems worldwide, and novel diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive strategies are needed.

Selected Publications
Curley SA, Izzo F, Delrio P, Ellis LM, Granchi J, Vallone P, Fiore F, Cremona F. Radiofrequency ablation of unresectable primary and metastatic hepatic malignancies: Results in 123 patients. Ann Surg 230:1-8, 1999

Curley SA, Izzo F, Ellis LM, Vauthey JN, Vallone P. Radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular cancer in 110 cirrhotic patients. Ann Surg 232:381-391, 2000

Izzo F, Cremona F, Delrio P, Leonardi E, Castello G, Pignata S, Daniele B, Curley SA. Soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in hepatocellular cancer: A more sensitive marker than alfa fetoprotein. Ann Surg Oncol 6:178-185, 1999

Meric F, Patt YZ, Curley SA, Chase J, Roh MS, Vauthey JN, Ellis LM. Surgery after downstaging of unresectable hepatic tumors with intra-arterial chemotherapy. Ann Surg Oncol 7:490-495, 2000

Watkins KT, Curley SA. Liver and bile ducts. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Lichter AS, Niederhuber JE (eds). Clinical Oncology, edn 2, pp 1681-1748. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone, 2000

Additional Information:

Department:	Surgical Oncology
Department URL:
Division/Section:	Surgery
Last Updated:	08/01/2006