Case report: Occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma 4.5 years after successful treatment with virus clearance for chronic hepatitis C.
A 67-year-old man with hepatitis C virus infection and histological features of chronic active hepatitis was treated with human recombinant interferon alpha-2b. He responded successfully to interferon with normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase and continuous eradication of hepatitis C virus. However, 4.5 years after the end of interferon therapy, hepatocellular carcinoma, 20 mm in diameter, was detected by routine ultrasonographic screening. The patient underwent surgical treatment for resection of the hepatocellular carcinoma. The non-cancerous liver tissue was histologically normal. This suggests that patients who have shown a complete response to interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C should be followed up closely.
Miyano
S
S
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan.
Togashi
H
H
Shinzawa
H
H
Sugahara
K
K
Matsuo
T
T
Takeda
Y
Y
Saito
K
K
Saito
T
T
Ishiyama
S
S
Kaneko
M
M
Takahashi
T
T
D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013997:Time Factors
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins