Effect of interferon on incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether IFN prevents the development of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
103 patients with chronic hepatitis C received IFN and 30 control patients were enrolled in this study.


RESULTS
In 33 patients (32.0%) who received IFN, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) decreased to normal range and HCV RNA became negative (complete response: CR). In 7 patients (6.7%), ALT decreased to less than 50 IU/L or stayed within the normal range, but HCV RNA remained positive (biochemical response: BR). In 63 patients (61.1%) and 30 control patients, ALT did not change and HCV RNA remained positive (no response: NR). HCC developed in 5 (4.9%) of the 103 patients who received IFN and 7 (23.3%) of the control patients (p<0.01). In 5 patients who developed HCC, the response to IFN was NR and no HCC developed in patients with CR or BR. In addition, 5-year cumulative rate of development of HCC in 63 IFN NR patients and in control was 7.9% and 23.3% (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
IFN decreased the development of HCC in not only patients with CR or BR but also patients with NR.
Soga
K
K
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Dentistry at Niigata, Nippon Dental University, Niigata, Japan. sogakenji@ngt.ndu.ac.jp
Shibasaki
K
K
Aoyagi
Y
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons