Occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma was not a rare event during and immediately after antiviral treatment in Japanese HCV-positive patients

Tatsuo Kanda; Fumio Imazeki; Shigeru Mikami; Keizo Kato; Noritomo Shimada; Yutaka Yonemitsu; Tomoo Miyauchi; Makoto Arai; Keiichi Fujiwara; Akihito Tsubota; Nobuo Takada; Takayoshi Nishino; Motohide Takashi; Nobuyuki Sugiura; Michio Kimura; Kenichi Fukai; Osamu Yokosuka

doi:10.1159/000330549

Occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma was not a rare event during and immediately after antiviral treatment in Japanese HCV-positive patients

Oncology. 2011;80(5-6):366-72. doi: 10.1159/000330549. Epub 2011 Aug 3.

Authors

Tatsuo Kanda¹, Fumio Imazeki, Shigeru Mikami, Keizo Kato, Noritomo Shimada, Yutaka Yonemitsu, Tomoo Miyauchi, Makoto Arai, Keiichi Fujiwara, Akihito Tsubota, Nobuo Takada, Takayoshi Nishino, Motohide Takashi, Nobuyuki Sugiura, Michio Kimura, Kenichi Fukai, Osamu Yokosuka

Affiliation

¹ Department of Medicine and Clinical Oncology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, Japan. [email protected]

PMID: 21822027
DOI: 10.1159/000330549

Abstract

Advanced chronic hepatitis C patients with sustained virolological response by antivirals remain at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the incidence of HCC during and immediately after peginterferon-alfa-2a and ribavirin (RBV) treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C in Japan. HCC was detected in 8 of 238 patients during and after these treatments (mean follow-up period: 572 ± 252 days). In conclusion, occurrence of HCC is not a rare event during and immediately after peginterferon-alfa-2a plus RBV treatment. In cases with cirrhosis, higher α-fetoprotein levels, old age, or a previous history of HCC treatment, clinicians should be especially alert for the possible development of HCC during and immediately after peginterferon-alfa-2a and RBV treatment. Clinicians should regularly check for the possible development of HCC even in chronic hepatitis C patients under treatment.

Publication types

Clinical Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Antiviral Agents / administration & dosage*
Biomarkers / blood
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / diagnosis
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / epidemiology*
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / virology
Female
Hepacivirus / drug effects
Hepacivirus / genetics
Hepacivirus / isolation & purification*
Hepatitis C, Chronic / blood
Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
Humans
Incidence
Interferon alpha-2
Interferon-alpha / administration & dosage*
Japan / epidemiology
Liver Cirrhosis / complications
Liver Neoplasms / diagnosis
Liver Neoplasms / epidemiology*
Liver Neoplasms / virology
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Middle Aged
Polyethylene Glycols / administration & dosage*
RNA, Viral / isolation & purification
Recombinant Proteins
Ribavirin / administration & dosage*
Risk Factors
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Treatment Outcome

Substances

Antiviral Agents
Biomarkers
Interferon alpha-2
Interferon-alpha
RNA, Viral
Recombinant Proteins
Polyethylene Glycols
Ribavirin
peginterferon alfa-2a