Hepatitis C

Computer simulation forecasts favorable trends

BY Katrina Burton

Jagpreet Chhatwal, Ph.D.

Effective new drugs and screening would make hepatitis C a rare disease by 2036, according to a computer simulation conducted by MD Anderson and the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.

"Hepatitis C (HCV) is the leading cause of liver cancer and accounts for more than 15,000 deaths in the U.S. each year," says Jagpreet Chhatwal, Ph.D., assistant professor of Health Services Research at MD Anderson and corresponding author on the study.

HCV, a virus transmitted through the blood, is spread by sharing needles, using contaminated medical equipment, and using inadequately sterilized tattoo and piercing equipment.

The National Institutes of Health funded this research.

"Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver cancer and accounts for more than 15,000 deaths in the U.S. each year."

Jagpreet Chhatwal, Ph.D.

assistant professor, Health Services Research

More Stories From Promise

A message from Ron DePinho, M.D.

A word from the president

Driven to make a difference

Triple-negative breast cancer survivor helps others celebrate life's priceless moments

Can-do spirit drives campaign to fight

Survivor creates foundation for hope, one donation at a time

EndTobacco™

A collaborative effort to combat America's most persistent health threat

iPromise

Sandy Bobet, of Katy, is a cancer survivor who lost her husband and one of her sons to the disease within a year of each other. Here, she reflects on the hope

Survivors Say

Andrew Davison, of Boulder, Colo., is president of Gaiam Inc., a leading producer of fitness accessories that's dedicated to healthy and eco-conscious living. He and his wife, Brooke, have a daughter and a son. Andrew was diagnosed with stage I lung cancer in August 2013.