The effectiveness of interferon therapy on occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C.
To clarify the effect of interferon (IFN) therapy for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) on the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 149 patients who were observed over a period of five years (mean: 7.6 years) were studied. The C-1 group, 33 patients with complete response to IFN; the C-2 group, 55 patients with no response to IFN; and the C-3 group, 61 patients who did not receive IFN. The occurrence rate of HCC was 0.9%/year/person. In the C-1, C-2 and C-3 groups, the rates were 0%, 0.3%, and 1.6%, respectively. The rate in C-1 + C-2 groups was significantly lower than that of the C-3 group (P<0.05). These data suggest IFN may suppress the occurrence of HCC in CHC.
The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
N
N
Horiike
T
T
Fujisawa
K
K
Michitaka
K
K
Tada
T
T
Masumoto
H
H
Iuchi
N
N
Kojima
M
M
Onji
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016899:Interferon-beta