Hep B Blog

Four Things Fathers Affected by Hepatitis B Can Do for Themselves and Their Families

Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Father’s Day, June 21, is a day to celebrate the contributions men make in their children’s lives. It’s also a good day for fathers to acknowledge how valuable they are to their families and how important it is to take care of their health.

Living with chronic hepatitis B can be challenging. Here are some things dads can do to take care of themselves or family members infected with hepatitis B.

1. Get outside and soak in some sunlight and some vitamin D. People with hepatitis B who have vitamin D deficiencies have higher rates of liver damage, cirrhosis and cancer. A healthy diet provides vitamin D, but 80 percent of our vitamin D comes from 15 minutes of exposure to sunlight two to three times a week. So get outside and walk, garden, exercise and soak in some healthy sunlight.

Continue reading "Four Things Fathers Affected by Hepatitis B Can Do for Themselves and Their Families"

HBV Journal Review – June 2015

ChrisKHBF is pleased to connect our blog readers to Christine Kukka’s monthly HBV Journal Review that she writes for the HBV Advocate. The journal presents the
 latest in hepatitis B research, treatment, and prevention from recent academic and medical journals. This month, the following topics are explored:

  • HBV Liver Cancer Requires Aggressive Treatment from the Start
  • Experts: Treat Cirrhotic Patients, Even if Viral Load Is Low
  • Some Patients Can Safely Stop Antiviral After Four Years
  • Tenofovir Safe and Effective in Pregnant Women with Drug Resistance
  • Researchers Discover Why Children Become Chronically Infected
  • Expert Recommends Treatment for Mental Confusion from Cirrhosis
  • Antivirals Increase Survival After Liver Cancer Treatment
  • HBV Patients with Diabetes Have a Higher Risk of Liver Cancer
  • Long-term Antiviral Use Increases Hip Fracture Rates Slightly
  • Second Vaccine Series May Be Needed for Children with Celiac Disease
  • Researchers Find HBV B Strain in Cuba Did Not Come from Africa

Continue reading "HBV Journal Review – June 2015"

Support Services for Families Facing Liver Cancer Webinar

What support services are available for patients and families that are facing liver cancer? Are there any assistance programs to help pay for treatment or other costs? What about online or community support?

Listen to this webinar from the Hepatitis B Foundation’s Liver Cancer Connect program. Guest speakers Karla Pillote, a nurse practitioner at Johns Hopkins’ Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington DC, and Andrea Wilson, founder of BlueFaery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association, explain how families can access valuable services.

Be sure to visit Liver Cancer Connect for all you need to know about liver cancer!

Clinical Trials Webinar -What YOU need to know!

Why do we have clinical trials? What is involved with clinical trial participation? How do I find a trial that’s right for me? Find out by listening to this webinar from Liver Cancer Connect, a dedicated program of the Hepatitis B Foundation. Presenters Jill McNair of the Center for Information & Study on Clinical Research Participation, and Katelyn Levy, BS, clinical research coordinator at Johns Hopkins Suburban Hospital, explain what clinical trials are and answer frequently asked questions about participating in a trial.

Continue reading "Clinical Trials Webinar -What YOU need to know!"

Q & A – Treatment Options for Liver Cancer Webinar

gish_robert_garethDr. Gish answered answered a number of very important questions for those diagnosed with liver cancer, and also has some great advice for liver cancer surveillance, including best imaging tests for the diagnosis of cirrhosis or liver cancer and more.  Continue reading "Q & A – Treatment Options for Liver Cancer Webinar"

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

moon-anncart-logo-for-blog-300x180In celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, Dr. moon Chen, Principal Investigator for the Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness Research and Training (AANCART) and UC Davis professor, reflects on the unnecessary cancer burden in Asian American and Pacific Islanders, including the burden of  hepatitis B related liver cancer.  Continue reading "May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month"

Clinical Trials in Liver Cancer: What You Need to Know

diversegroupMyth: Clinical trials are only for people with advanced stages of cancer.

Fact: No! Trials are available for all stages of cancer, not just for people who have advanced cancer that is not responding to treatment.

If you or a loved one needs treatment for liver cancer, clinical trials are an option to think about. Continue reading "Clinical Trials in Liver Cancer: What You Need to Know"

HBV Journal Review – May 2015

ChrisKHBF is pleased to connect our blog readers to Christine Kukka’s monthly HBV Journal Review that she writes for the HBV Advocate. The journal presents the
 latest in hepatitis B research, treatment, and prevention from recent academic and medical journals. This month, the following topics are explored:

  • New Treatments Targeting Hepatitis B Start Clinical Trials Soon
  • Experts Urge Doctors to Screen Pregnant Women for Both Hepatitis B and High Viral Loads
  • Using Antivirals Early in a Pregnancy Reduces Infection of Newborns
  • Some Pregnant Women in U.S. Still Not Getting Screened for HBV and STIs
  • High Viral Loads in Men Increase the Amount of HBV DNA in Their Sperm
  • Despite Vaccine, Rural States See Rise in Hepatitis B Due to Heroin Use
  • More Than Half of Young Drug Users Are Not Vaccinated Against Hepatitis A and B
  • Shorter Vaccination Schedule Works to Prevent Infection Among Drug Users
  • Generic Entecavir Could Treat All Patients Worldwide for $36 a Year
  • Reformulated Tenofovir Appears Better at Fighting Infection in Liver Cells
  • Another Report Calls for Doctors to Screen All Patients for HBV Before Starting Chemotherapy
  • Study Confirms Aflatoxins Increase Liver Cancer in Hepatitis B Patients

Continue reading "HBV Journal Review – May 2015"

Highlights of the New WHO Chronic Hepatitis B Guidelines

UnknownHave you had an opportunity to take a look at the new World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for the treatment of those with chronic hepatitis B?

Guidelines developed by other medical organizations including AASLD, EASL, and APASL were focused mainly on the prevention, care and treatment of hepatitis B for those living in higher income countries. The new WHO guidelines were developed with low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) in mind, though they are certainly applicable in high-income countries as well. Continue reading "Highlights of the New WHO Chronic Hepatitis B Guidelines"