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GBC biomarkers

Globally, there is an increased incidence of Gallbladder Carcinoma (GBC). In 2012, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH) reported 2 GBC cases but in the last 3 years there have been more than 300 cases.

Most of these cases are advanced and overall survival in our patients is only ~3 months. Due to the advanced presentation and aggressive disease, we urgently need to understand the biology to improve overall survival.

We have recently piloted studies investigating various “omics” in GBC. We need to further unpack the full array of multi-omics in GBC to find a reliable liquid biopsy for early diagnosis and discover pathways for therapeutic targets to improve overall survival. Circulating cytokines and microRNAs can provide complementary information about the immune response, inflammation and the molecular alterations associated with GBC.

Aim:

To better understand the biological behaviour of GBC patients from African origin. Our hypothesis is that our tumours exhibit different characteristics to the GBC that arises in other endemic areas (India and Chile).

Objectives:

  1. To discover potential new biomarkers, including plasma cytokines and microRNAs, that would aid in earlier diagnosis and have prognostic implications
  2. To discover which microRNAs are dysregulated in GBC in our African population.
  3. To determine the role of specific circulating cytokines in reflecting the crosstalk between microRNA regulation, tumour cells and the immune system

Some publications:

  1. Devar, J., Baichan, P., Mpangase, P. T., Elebo, N., Makan, A., Pincus, A., Lahoud, N., Cacciatore, S., Candy, G., Smith, M., & Nweke, E. E. (2025). Identification of differentially expressed genes and associated immune cell types in South African gallbladder cancer patients. Scientific Reports, 15, 39429. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-23056-1
  2. Devar, J., Elebo, N., Makan, A., Pincus, A., Lahoud, N., Cacciatore, S., Candy, G. P., Smith, M., & Nweke, E. E. (2025). Metabolomic and lipoprotein profiling of South African gall bladder cancer patients. HPB, 27, S362–S363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpb.2025.04.621
  3. Devar, J., Elebo, N., Makan, A., Pincus, A., Lahoud, N., Cacciatore, S., Candy, G., Smith, M., & Nweke, E. E. (2025). Distinct metabolomic and lipoprotein signatures in gall bladder cancer patients of Black African ancestry. Cancers, 17(17), 2925. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17172925
Professor Devar in surgery
Assoc Prof John Devar in surgery.
  • Prof John Devar (PhD Candidate & Clinician; Assoc Prof, Dept of Surgery, Wits; Chris Hani Baragwanath, Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) Surgical Research Group (Wits HPB SuRG)
  • Professor Deirdre Kruger (Assoc Prof and Head of Research & Laboratories, Dept of Surgery, Wits & Wits HPB SuRG)
  • Dr Emmanuel Nweke (Senior Lecturer and PG research coordinator, Dept of Surgery, Wits & Wits HPB SuRG)
  • Professor Martin Smith (former Academic Head of Dept of Surgery, Wits)

Find out more about Wits Gastroenterology here: https://www.wits.ac.za/clinicalmed/departments/internal-medicine/divisions/gastroenterology/

Contact the Wits SuRG team at: john.devar@wits.ac.za

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