Effect of long-term postoperative interferon therapy on intrahepatic recurrence and survival rate after resection of hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of interferon (IFN)-alpha on survival rate after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma.


METHODS
In a randomized, controlled trial by the University Hospital, Medical Center and affiliated hospital in Osaka, Japan, 30 men were after surgery randomly allocated to an IFN-alpha group (15 patients) and to a control group. Patients in the IFN group received 6 MIU of IFN-alpha intramuscularly daily for 2 weeks, then three times a week for 14 weeks, and finally twice a week for 88 weeks. The incidence of recurrence and survival rate were then studied.


RESULTS
The response to IFN was sustained viral response (SVR) in 2 patients, biochemical response (BR) in 6, partial response (PR) in 5, and no response (NR) in 2. In the control, 8 of the 15 patients demonstrated continuous abnormally high levels of ALT. At the end point of the study, intrahepatic recurrence was detected in 9 of the IFN group and in 13 of the control (p = 0.065, log-rank test). The cumulative survival rate was higher in the IFN group than in the controls (p = 0.041).


CONCLUSIONS
Postoperative IFN therapy improves the outcome after resection of hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.
Nishiguchi
Shuhei
S
Department of Hepatology, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan. snishiguch@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
Tamori
Akihiro
A
Kubo
Shoji
S
D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000601:surgery*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase