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Bangkok, 21 December 2023 — FUJIFILM Thailand, a global leader in total healthcare solutions, highlighted the severity of liver cancer in Thailand and worldwide, stressing the importance of early detection for timely diagnoses and potential life-saving interventions. Recognizing the silent threat posed by liver cancer, primarily due to the absence of discernible signs and symptoms, the company encourages Thai people to prioritize medical checkup. This involves a combination of ultrasound and highly sensitive tumor markers, providing accurate results for detecting early-stage liver cancer.
The gravity of the liver cancer situation in Thailand is underscored by alarming statistics from the Thailand Cancer Registry by the National Cancer Institute. With over 140,000 new cases reported annually, translating to approximately 400 people diagnosed each day, the scale of the issue is profound. Liver cancer emerges as the leading cancer among Thai men, constituting 33.2% of the top 5 most common cancers, while for women, it ranks third at 12.2%.1 In 2020 alone, a staggering 905,677 individuals were diagnosed with liver cancer globally, resulting in 830,180 deaths, positioning it as the third leading cause of cancer-related fatalities. Disturbingly, the trend persists in 2023, indicating a rapid spread of liver cancer, maintaining its status as the third leading cause of cancer death, with men facing nearly three times higher risk than women. The urgency to address this concerning trend is paramount to mitigate the impact on public health.2
Ms. Suphattra Suparum, Regional Sales and Marketing Manager (IVD Products) at the Medical Systems Department of FUJIFILM (Thailand) Ltd., stressed that liver cancer’s insidious nature frequently leads to late-stage diagnoses, saying, "Symptoms of liver cancer often go unnoticed in the early stages, resulting in delayed screening. This underscores the critical importance of early detection for effective intervention.”
In Thailand, the prevalent Surveillance method for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) typically involves a combination of ultrasound and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) testing. However, these approaches come with inherent limitations. Ultrasound, while commonly utilized, exhibits low performance in the early stages of HCC. Its effectiveness is heavily reliant on the operator's experience, and the absence of specialized radiologists can hinder accurate diagnosis. Additionally, challenges arise in cases of obesity, where obtaining clear imaging becomes problematic. Moreover, the challenge is compounded by the restricted availability of equipment in public hospitals and rural areas. On the other hand, AFP, a commonly used biomarker, faces limitations due to its low sensitivity and specificity, particularly in detecting the early stages of HCC. These constraints highlight the critical need for advancing surveillance methodologies to enhance the accuracy and efficacy of early HCC detection in the Thai healthcare landscape.
Mr. Kosuke Kijima, Asia Pacific & India, Overseas Sales & Marketing Specialist (In Vitro Diagnostics Division - Medical Systems Business Division), FUJIFILM Corporation, underscored the cutting-edge technology employed in a clinical practice guideline from The Japan Society of Hepatology (JSH) saying, “JSH advises combining ultrasound with biomarkers, including Lectin-reactive alpha-fetoprotein (AFP-L3), AFP, and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II), for HCC surveillance. The JSH clinical practice guideline for HCC 2021 recommends measuring AFP, PIVKA-II, and AFP-L3 fractions as effective tumor markers for HCC diagnosis. AFP-L3, particularly secreted in early tumor stages, aids in detecting previously undetected HCC by ultrasound. This makes AFP-L3 valuable for early HCC detection, prognosis prediction, and treatment guidance. Consequently, Japan observes a higher detection rate of very early and early-stage HCCs (over 66%) 3, leading to favorable outcomes in HCC patients. This demonstrates the vital role of AFP-L3, an innovation featuring a distinctive testing substance from Fujifilm, in this advanced surveillance method.”
To tackle surveillance obstacles in Thailand, Thai Association for the Study of the Liver (THASL) and Fujifilm collaborate to carry out the study. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) collaborated with the THASL and Fujifilm conduct project to apply the Japanese method for the HCC surveillance. This partnership aimed to assess the accuracy of HCC biomarkers and enhance Thailand’s HCC surveillance system. The study, conducted at Chulalongkorn University Hospital, Mahidol university Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, and Khonkaen University Faculty of Medicine Srinagarind Hospital, focused on using a combination of ultrasonography with AFP-L3, AFP, and PIVKA II for HCC surveillance in Thailand to reduce mortality rates from HCC.
“Apart from its Japan-made AFP-L3, a highly specific HCC biomarker, Fujifilm presents the ‘μTASWako i30’, a fully automated microfluidic-based immunoanalyzer solution tailored for HCC diagnosis. This all-in-one analyzer is recognized for its efficiency and precision, providing a blood result within 9 minutes and handling up to 25 blood results per hour. The comprehensive range of diagnostic medical offerings aims to mitigate preventable deaths stemming from inaccurate diagnoses and contribute to the enhancement of chance to detect early stage of HCC”, added Mr. Kosuke Kijima.
“Early screening is paramount in the fight against liver cancer. Embracing advanced Japanese innovations, not only revolutionizes medical solutions but holds the key to shaping a future where timely intervention saves lives," concluded Ms. Suphattra Suparum.
As a global leader in providing one-stop, total healthcare solutions, Fujifilm is dedicated to promoting awareness of cancer screenings, aiming to decrease preventable casualties on a global scale in harmony with its Sustainable Value Plan 2030 (SVP2030) to enhance global public health.
References
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CH9 Airport Hospital (2022). สถิติโรคมะเร็ง ประเทศไทย, https://ch9airport.com/th/
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American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (2023, Mar), Liver Cancer: Statistics, https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/liver-cancer/statistics
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Presentation by Prof. Masatoshi Kudo at Kindai University at METI-THASL project seminar in December, 2020