Delayed development of hepatocellular carcinoma during long-term follow-up after eradication of hepatitis C virus by interferon therapy.
A 42-year-old Japanese man with liver cirrhosis by hepatitis C virus (HCV) had successful interferon therapy in May 1991. Since then, serum HCV-RNA and liver function tests had been negative. He had continued to drink more than 100 g/d of alcohol as before. In June 2003, a 5-cm tumor was found in the posterior segment of the liver. The tumor was curatively resected and the surgical specimen showed a well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Non-cancerous lesions of the liver revealed fibrosis at stage F3 with minimal to mild inflammation of grade A1. Heavy drinking may retard the dissolution of fibrosis and accelerate HCC development in patients with sustained virological response.
Ito
Yukiko
Y
Department of Endoscopy, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
Yamamoto
Natsuyo
N
Nakata
Ryo
R
Kato
Yoshihisa
Y
Iori
Masashi
M
Sakai
Keisuke
K
Takemura
Tamiko
T
Tateishi
Ryosuke
R
Yoshida
Haruhiko
H
Kawabe
Takao
T
Omata
Masao
M
D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
D016898:Interferon-alpha