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Bergthor Björnsson

Tumor diseases of the liver and pancreas create great suffering for both patients and relatives. The overall goal of my research is to improve the care of this patient group.

Liver and pancreatic tumors

The research I conduct is largely based on collaborations in various networks. After my defense in 2014, I ran a randomized trial at US where the value of minimally invasive pancreatic surgery was evaluated. At the same time, our unit led a multicenter and multinational study comparing different liver surgeries. It became clear that to tackle the larger clinical issues, large networks are needed. Therefore, I participate in the research for clinical projects described below.

Translational research often requires closer collaboration than clinical research and there can be difficulties with large distances. Therefore, the translational part of my research is mainly conducted in collaboration with other researchers at LiU.

Publications

2023

Maarten Korrel, Leia R. Jones, Jony van Hilst, Gianpaolo Balzano, Bergthor Björnsson, Ugo Boggi, Svein Olav Bratlie, Olivier R. Busch, Giovanni Butturini, Giovanni Capretti, Riccardo Casadei, Bjorn Edwin, Anouk M. L. H. Emmen, Alessandro Esposito, Massimo Falconi, Bas Groot Koerkamp, Tobias Keck, Ruben H. J. de Kleine, Dyre B. Kleive, Arto Kokkola, Daan J. Lips, Sanne Lof, Misha D. P. Luyer, Alberto Manzoni, Ravi Marudanayagam, Matteo de Pastena, Nicolo Pecorelli, John N. Primrose, Claudio Ricci, Roberto Salvia, Per Sandström, Frederique L. I. M. Vissers, Ulrich F. Wellner, Alessandro Zerbi, Marcel G. W. Dijkgraaf, Marc G. Besselink, Mohammad Abu Hilal (2023) Minimally invasive versus open distal pancreatectomy for resectable pancreatic cancer (DIPLOMA): an international randomised non-inferiority trial The Lancet Regional Health: Europe, Vol. 31, Article 100673 Continue to DOI
Sanne Lof, Linda Claassen, Gerjon Hannink, Bilal Al-Sarireh, Bergthor Björnsson, Ugo Boggi, Fernando Burdio, Giovanni Butturini, Giovanni Capretti, Riccardo Casadei, Safi Dokmak, Bjorn Edwin, Alessandro Esposito, Jean M. Fabre, Giovanni Ferrari, Asmund A. Fretland, Fadhel S. Fteriche, Giuseppe K. Fusai, Alessandro Giardino, Bas Groot Koerkamp, Mathieu DHondt, Asif Jah, Sivesh K. Kamarajah, Emanuele F. Kauffmann, Tobias Keck, Stijn van Laarhoven, Alberto Manzoni, Marco V. Marino, Ravi Marudanayagam, Izaak Q. Molenaar, Patrick Pessaux, Edoardo Rosso, Roberto Salvia, Zahir Soonawalla, Regis Souche, Steven White, Frans van Workum, Alessandro Zerbi, Camiel Rosman, Martijn W. J. Stommel, Mohammed Abu Hilal, Marc G. Besselink (2023) Learning Curves of Minimally Invasive Distal Pancreatectomy in Experienced Pancreatic Centers JAMA Surgery Continue to DOI
Lina Wirestam, Pernilla Benjaminsson Nyberg, Todor Dzhendov, Thomas Gasslander, Per Sandström, Christopher Sjöwall, Bergthor Björnsson (2023) Plasma Osteopontin Reflects Tissue Damage in Acute Pancreatitis Biomedicines, Vol. 11, Article 1627 Continue to DOI
Karin Johansen, Anna Lindhoff Larsson, Linda Lundgren, Thomas Gasslander, Claes Hjalmarsson, Per Sandström, Bergthor Björnsson (2023) Author response to: Quality of life after open versus laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy: long-term results from a randomized clinical trial BJS Open, Vol. 7, Article zrad069 Continue to DOI
Nuria Lluis, Mario Serradilla-Martin, Mar Achalandabaso, Francois Jehaes, Bobby V. M. Dasari, Sara Mambrilla-Herrero, Ernesto Sparrelid, Anita Balakrishnan, Frederik J. H. Hoogwater, Maria J. Amaral, Bodil Andersson, Frederik Berrevoet, Alexandre Doussot, Victor Lopez-Lopez, Mohammedsuror Alsammani, Olivier Detry, Carlos Domingo-del Pozo, Nikolaos Machairas, Damjan Pekli, Candido F. Alcazar-Lopez, Horacio Asbun, Bergthor Björnsson, Thalis Christophides, Alberto Diez-Caballero, David Francart, Colin B. Noel, Donzilia Sousa-Silva, Enrique Toledo-Martinez, George N. Tzimas, Sheraz Yaqub, Francois Cauchy, Mikel Prieto-Calvo, Melroy A. DSouza, Harry V. M. Spiers, Marius C. van den Heuvel, Ramon Charco, Mickael Lesurtel, Jose M. Ramia (2023) Intraductal papillary neoplasms of the bile duct: a European retrospective multicenter observational study (EUR-IPNB study) International Journal of Surgery, Vol. 109, p. 760-771 Continue to DOI

Research

Liver and pancreatic tumors

The research I conduct can be divided into clinical projects and trials where the aim is to improve care for today's patients within a short time and translational projects where the aim is to increase knowledge and understanding of underlying mechanisms.

Clinical projects

In the DRAGON network, we investigate methods to stimulate liver growth with as little intervention as possible. The core of the method being explored is that in addition to embolization of the portal vein, the hepatic vein(s) are also embolized to increase growth of the liver that can be left behind during surgery.

The DIPLOMA studies are about comparing the minimally invasive surgical method for pancreatic tumors with the classic open operations to ensure the introduction and expansion of minimally invasive pancreatic surgery. Within the same area is E-MIPS, the European registry for minimally invasive pancreatic surgery.

The ISGACA collaboration focuses on the management of tumors in the bile duct, its mouth and in the duodenum. A number of retrospective multicenter studies have already been done and the prospective ADAPTA study will investigate the choice of chemotherapy for tumors in the bile duct mouth.

The NorPact collaboration is investigating the value of pretreatment with chemotherapy before surgery for pancreatic cancer. Results of a prospective randomized trial are expected shortly.

In the ScanPan project, which is a Nordic collaboration starting from Linköping, clinical research in liver and pancreas areas meets where the value of treatment in pancreatic cancer that has spread (to the liver) is investigated.

 

Translational projects

Zebrafish embryos are used to investigate tumor characteristics in colon cancer, liver metastases (daughter tumors) and pancreatic cancer. The overall goal of these studies is to be able to provide more targeted chemotherapy based on the individual patient's tumor. The collaboration with basic research is with Lasse Jansen.
The liver's propensity to receive daughter tumors from colon and rectal cancer and pancreatic cancer is investigated in a project run in collaboration with Linda Bojmar.

I am a member of Bojmar Lab

Organisation