Incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma after interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
We examined the effect of interferon (IFN) therapy for chronic active hepatitis (CAH) C in 207 patients by estimating the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after IFN therapy using the person-years method. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test. No HCC was detected in patients with normal serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels after IFN therapy (response-effect group), and in patients with both normal serum ALT levels and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA clearance after IFN therapy (complete-responder group). The incidence per 100,000 person-years in the patients with elevated serum ALT level after IFN therapy (other-effects group) were 1968 and 1624, respectively. The incidence in control patients who did not achieve IFN therapy was 901. No statistically significant differences were observed between the other-effects group, non-responder group, and the control group. Our results so far suggest that normalization of the serum ALT levels and/or HCV clearance might reduce the incidence of HCC.
Onodera
H
H
Department of Internal Medicine, Miyagi Cancer Center, Japan.
Ukai
K
K
Suzuki
M
M
Minami
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors
D016898:Interferon-alpha; D016899:Interferon-beta