Congressional Briefing on Chronic Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Highlights World Hepatitis Day

May 19, 2009 - PRLog -- WASHINGTON, DC - In recognition of May 19th as World Hepatitis Day and May as National Hepatitis Awareness Month, the Hepatitis B Foundation (HBF), Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) and the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) have partnered to host a Congressional briefing titled “Chronic Viral Hepatitis: A Liver Cancer Story” on May 19, 8:30–10:00 am, at the Rayburn Building, Room B-340, in Washington, D.C. The briefing will call urgent attention to the millions of Americans suffering from chronic viral hepatitis infections. Congressmen Mike Honda (CA) and Charlie Dent (PA) will be special guests at the briefing. Through personal stories and expert testimony from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Cancer Institute, and Weill-Cornell Medical College, the burden of chronic viral hepatitis and its fatal link to primary liver cancer will be highlighted.

“Chronic viral hepatitis infections caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) represent a silent epidemic in the U.S. and affects an estimated 6 million Americans,” says Dr. Timothy M. Block, Ph.D., HBF co-founder and president, and professor, Drexel University College of Medicine. “Chronic viral hepatitis is also the leading cause of liver cancer, which has a 5-year survival rate of only 10%.”
   
The National Cancer Institute reports that primary liver cancer continues to be one of three of the fastest growing cancers in the U.S. during a time when the overall incidence of cancer has stabilized, and in many cases declined. According to Jeffrey Caballero, AAPCHO executive director, “Primary liver cancer is the 8th leading cause of cancer death among Caucasians and the 3rd leading cause of cancer death among Asians in the U.S.”

Despite the availability of a safe vaccine, there continue to be almost 50,000 new HBV infections each year in the U.S. Also alarming is the fact that up to 50% of Americans infected with HBV and 75% of Americans infected with HCV are unaware of their status. In addition, as many as 30% of HIV-positive Americans are co-infected with HCV, and up to 10% are co-infected with HBV. Most disturbing is that 15,000 or more Americans die each year from chronic viral hepatitis-related complications.

In a strong call to action, Chris Taylor, NVHR chair, and senior program manager, Viral Hepatitis, National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, emphasizes, “Increased national attention and support is required for the care and treatment of the 6 million Americans living with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C who, without federal intervention, will die prematurely from either end-stage liver disease or liver cancer.”

The May 19 Congressional briefing will be moderated by Dr. Timothy Block, HBF co-founder and president; Jeffrey Caballero, AAPCHO executive director; and Chris Taylor, NVHR chair. Expert speakers include Dr. John Ward, director, Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Katherine McGlynn, senior investigator, National Cancer Institute; Dr. Ira Jacobson, chief, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill-Cornell Medical College; and personal testimony from Shannon Morris whose 20 year old brother died tragically from liver cancer due to chronic hepatitis B.




Hepatitis B Foundation
The Hepatitis B Foundation is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected with hepatitis B worldwide through research, education and patient advocacy. Visit www.hepb.org.

Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations
The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations is a national association representing community health organizations dedicated to promoting advocacy, collaboration and leadership that improves the health status and access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders within the United States, its territories, and freely associated states, primarily through our member community health centers. Visit www.aapcho.org.

National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
The National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable is a coalition of public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from viral hepatitis in the United States through strategic planning, leadership, coordination, advocacy, and research. Visit www.nvhr.org.