title: Interferon therapy after tumor ablation improves prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis C virus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Even after the surgical or medical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, tumors frequently develop at new foci, leading to a poor prognosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether combined tumor ablation and interferon therapy can reduce the occurrence of new foci of hepatocellular carcinoma, thereby improving survival rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  74 patients with compensated cirrhosis, three or fewer nodules of hepatocellular carcinoma, and low hepatitis C virus RNA loads (< or =2 x 10(6) copies/mL).
  
  
  METHODS
  After all patients had complete ablation of lesions by percutaneous ethanol injection therapy, 49 patients were assigned to receive 6 million U of interferon three times weekly for 48 weeks and 25 did not receive treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Abdominal ultrasonography, computed tomography, and determination of blood biochemical measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 49 patients treated with interferon, 21 showed a sustained biochemical response and 14 showed a sustained virologic response. The rate of first recurrence of new foci of hepatocellular carcinoma was similar in patients treated with interferon and untreated patients; however, the rates of second or third recurrence seemed to be lower in the interferon group than in the untreated group. Patients treated with interferon had a survival rate of 68% at 5 years and 53% at 7 years; untreated patients had a survival rate of 48% at 5 years and 23% at 7 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After tumor ablation by ethanol injection, interferon therapy may enhance patient survival in selected patients with chronic hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan. shirato@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiratori
authors.forename: Shuichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiina
authors.forename: Takuma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Teratani
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Shun'taro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Obi
authors.forename: Shin'pei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Omata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D000431:Ethanol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D000431:Ethanol