I missed this post. Thank you once again. I am still hopeful even though my doctor said chances were best if you were in your 30's even forties.
Pretty sure I was there once but that was in another lifetime it seems. It does not mean no but it's improbable even though we have seen it here within this forum.
SF
Canuck said
Dec 20, 2016
SF,
You spoke of "tough, older and fatty" .... kinda sounds like my turkey! hee hee
Speaking of fibrosis, here is a NCT # for a Gilead study - some of their R&D, re: drug "therapy" for fibrosis (that topic I was mentioning here, and elswhere, about the interest in LOXL2 blood levels).
... This phase 2a, open-label, single center exploratory study assessed the safety, tolerability and potential efficacy of simtuzumab in HCV and/or HIV-infected adults (NCT01707472). Study participants received 700 mg of simtuzumab (Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA, USA) intravenously over 30 min every 2 weeks for 22 weeks (12 infusions). After treatment, participants were followed every 4 weeks for an additional 12 weeks ...
Small study, not very impressive results, but the intigue and interest (in theory) remains. Jury remains out. C.
Shadowfax said
Dec 14, 2016
Lets hope that everyone can achieve some improvement after SVR. As Tig mentioned, those with cirrhosis have a tougher time with that and the older you are adds to that problem I have been told. Still we hope.
True, compensated as I still am, gives a better chance or even if not, certainly a better quality of life.
Hoping they can find a way to reverse all this if possible and deal with fatty livers.
SF
Canuck said
Dec 14, 2016
Pablo/Tig,
Good links.
Fatty F4, 3a's are interested!
Hey Pablo, see over in our "I'm In! ..." thread - where we were posting about our up and coming participation in our further Gilead "study" which will be following many of our parameters, including our fibriosis/cirrhosis, where I mentioned my GREAT interest the some of the particular blood tests Gilead will be collecting on us. I will be interested in the content of ELF, sugars/lipids, etc., but of particular interest to me was ...
LOXL2 - (lysyl oxidase-like-2), roughly, a ... "extracellular matrix enzyme, promotes fibrosis via cross-linkage of collagen fibers" ...
especially (so interested in this parameter), as Gilead has been doing research on "drug routes" to "undo" fibrosis (Pulmonary Fibrosis, NASH, and others) and looking at LOXL2 (and other factors associated with fibrosis formation). Some of the early studies in this area have been interesting, as has been some of the investor gossip about undoing collagen! (help meeee, I'm melllting! - hee hee)
Thanks Tig. I hadn't come across these studies before. They seem to show similar results to the two I found.
Yes, we've covered this before, but always good to be on the look out for good news. There have been some spectacular advances in medicine in the last 10 years. Stroke-busting meds and stem cell therapy for Parkinson's come to mind; both conditions deemed incurable previously so I remain optimistic that fibrosis-reversing agents will come on board over the next decade. In fact, now that I think about it, stem cells must be a runner...
Pablo
Tig said
Dec 12, 2016
We have discussed this on a few ocassions and it always is a hopeful conversation. I think there is every reason to be confident in a good rate of improvement versus an increased fibrosis stage. Of course there is a percentage that will and those with pre existing cirrhosis are going to have a longer journey. A compensated liver is still WAY better than a decompensated scenario. Sometimes allowing no more harm (chcv) is both good but also all we get. The reduction in extra hepatic manifestations and reduced risk of HCC make it all worthwhile. If we gain some hepatic suppleness, I'm down for that too!
I'll add some links, but you have probably seen them. Keep your eye here for others.
There are so many people getting SVR these days I thought I'd start a thread on fibrosis improvement. It's a shame there is so little research on recovery post SVR compared to the number treatment studies in existence. I suspect more research will be done around this in the coming years.
The 2 studies I've read report around 70% of people getting improved fibrosis staging post SVR, about 20% staying the same and 10% or so getting worse. A one stage improvement (e.g. F2 to F1) was reported over a time frame of 3 years. For those unlucky few who got worse they either had cirrhosis or F4 before SVR.
Modest improvements over a long period of time, IMO, but I have read of much larger fibroscan score improvements from folk here over shorter time frames so I suspect when more studies are done with larger populations greater improvements will be seen.
I'm very curious to see if any fibrosis-busting agents are developed. I suspect there will be but many years down the line. I have read of some mice studies involving drugs with this effect.
My own experience some 7 months after I started treatment is that I feel vastly better. The dull aches under my right rib cage and the occasional darting pains have all gone, which is encouraging, and my fatigue has disappeared. I still get some weird sensations in my liver region in the mornings after I wake up. They are very hard to describe...sort of ticklish/queasy in nature.
If anyone comes across any relevant studies please feel free to post them here.
Hi Canuck,
I missed this post. Thank you once again. I am still hopeful even though my doctor said chances were best if you were in your 30's even forties.
Pretty sure I was there once but that was in another lifetime it seems. It does not mean no but it's improbable even though we have seen it here within this forum.
SF
SF,
You spoke of "tough, older and fatty" .... kinda sounds like my turkey! hee hee
Speaking of fibrosis, here is a NCT # for a Gilead study - some of their R&D, re: drug "therapy" for fibrosis (that topic I was mentioning here, and elswhere, about the interest in LOXL2 blood levels).
... This phase 2a, open-label, single center exploratory study assessed the safety, tolerability and potential efficacy of simtuzumab in HCV and/or HIV-infected adults (NCT01707472). Study participants received 700 mg of simtuzumab (Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA, USA) intravenously over 30 min every 2 weeks for 22 weeks (12 infusions). After treatment, participants were followed every 4 weeks for an additional 12 weeks ...
Small study, not very impressive results, but the intigue and interest (in theory) remains. Jury remains out.
C.
Lets hope that everyone can achieve some improvement after SVR. As Tig mentioned, those with cirrhosis have a tougher time with that and the older you are adds to that problem I have been told. Still we hope.
True, compensated as I still am, gives a better chance or even if not, certainly a better quality of life.
Hoping they can find a way to reverse all this if possible and deal with fatty livers.
SF
Pablo/Tig,
Good links.
Fatty F4, 3a's are interested!
Hey Pablo, see over in our "I'm In! ..." thread - where we were posting about our up and coming participation in our further Gilead "study" which will be following many of our parameters, including our fibriosis/cirrhosis, where I mentioned my GREAT interest the some of the particular blood tests Gilead will be collecting on us. I will be interested in the content of ELF, sugars/lipids, etc., but of particular interest to me was ...
LOXL2 - (lysyl oxidase-like-2), roughly, a ... "extracellular matrix enzyme, promotes fibrosis via cross-linkage of collagen fibers" ...
especially (so interested in this parameter), as Gilead has been doing research on "drug routes" to "undo" fibrosis (Pulmonary Fibrosis, NASH, and others) and looking at LOXL2 (and other factors associated with fibrosis formation). Some of the early studies in this area have been interesting, as has been some of the investor gossip about undoing collagen! (help meeee, I'm melllting! - hee hee)
Gilead Presents New Data Highlighting Progress in Liver Fibrosis ...
SEF552Hu | ELISA Kit for Lysyl Oxidase Like Protein 2 (LOXL2 ...
William Blair Positive on Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) Following Data ...
Thanks Tig. I hadn't come across these studies before. They seem to show similar results to the two I found.
Yes, we've covered this before, but always good to be on the look out for good news. There have been some spectacular advances in medicine in the last 10 years. Stroke-busting meds and stem cell therapy for Parkinson's come to mind; both conditions deemed incurable previously so I remain optimistic that fibrosis-reversing agents will come on board over the next decade. In fact, now that I think about it, stem cells must be a runner...
Pablo
We have discussed this on a few ocassions and it always is a hopeful conversation. I think there is every reason to be confident in a good rate of improvement versus an increased fibrosis stage. Of course there is a percentage that will and those with pre existing cirrhosis are going to have a longer journey. A compensated liver is still WAY better than a decompensated scenario. Sometimes allowing no more harm (chcv) is both good but also all we get. The reduction in extra hepatic manifestations and reduced risk of HCC make it all worthwhile. If we gain some hepatic suppleness, I'm down for that too!
I'll add some links, but you have probably seen them. Keep your eye here for others.
SVR and Fibrosis
Staging of Fibrosis and Cirrhosis
Long Term Changes in Histology
There are so many people getting SVR these days I thought I'd start a thread on fibrosis improvement. It's a shame there is so little research on recovery post SVR compared to the number treatment studies in existence. I suspect more research will be done around this in the coming years.
The 2 studies I've read report around 70% of people getting improved fibrosis staging post SVR, about 20% staying the same and 10% or so getting worse. A one stage improvement (e.g. F2 to F1) was reported over a time frame of 3 years. For those unlucky few who got worse they either had cirrhosis or F4 before SVR.
Modest improvements over a long period of time, IMO, but I have read of much larger fibroscan score improvements from folk here over shorter time frames so I suspect when more studies are done with larger populations greater improvements will be seen.
I'm very curious to see if any fibrosis-busting agents are developed. I suspect there will be but many years down the line. I have read of some mice studies involving drugs with this effect.
My own experience some 7 months after I started treatment is that I feel vastly better. The dull aches under my right rib cage and the occasional darting pains have all gone, which is encouraging, and my fatigue has disappeared. I still get some weird sensations in my liver region in the mornings after I wake up. They are very hard to describe...sort of ticklish/queasy in nature.
If anyone comes across any relevant studies please feel free to post them here.
Pablo