Benefit of interferon-alpha2b in a patient with unresectable hepatoma and chronic infection with hepatitis C virus.
Only in a small proportion of patients is advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) resectable, so the need for effective non-surgical treatments is obvious. We present details of a 72-year-old woman with inoperable HCC and chronic infection with hepatitis C virus, proved by the presence of antibodies directed against hepatitis C virus and positive polymerase chain reaction. The patient was treated with subcutaneous recombinant human interferon-alpha-2b. Within a few weeks, a partial tumour remission, paralleled by a decrease in serum levels of tumour markers and liver enzymes, was observed. In addition, polymerase chain reaction became negative. This observation facilitates the hypothesis that the anti-viral effects of interferon might have been jointly responsible for the anti-tumour activity observed. Interferon-alpha might serve as a treatment option in patients with unresectable hepatoma and chronic active viral hepatitis, but prospective studies are warranted.
Locker
G J
GJ
Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Vienna, Austria. gottfried.locker@akh-wien.ac.at
Mader
R M
RM
Steiner
B
B
Wenzl
E
E
Zielinski
C C
CC
Steger
G G
GG
D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins