Low-dose intermittent interferon-alpha therapy for HCV-related liver cirrhosis after curative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of low-dose intermittent interferon (IFN) therapy in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related compensated cirrhosis who had received curative treatment for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
We performed a prospective case controlled study. Sixteen patients received 3 MIU of natural IFN-alpha intramuscularly 3 times weekly for at least 48 wk (IFN group). They were compared with 16 matched historical controls (non-IFN group).


RESULTS
The cumulative rate of first recurrence of HCC was not significantly different between the IFN group and the non-IFN group (0% vs 6.7% and 68.6% vs 80% at 1- and 3-year, P = 0.157, respectively). The cumulative rate of second recurrence was not also significantly different between the IFN group and the non-IFN group (0% vs 6.7% and 35.9% vs 67% at 1- and 3-year, P = 0.056, respectively). Although the difference in the Child-Pugh classification score between the groups at initial treatment of HCC was not significant, the score was significantly worse at the time of data analysis in the non-IFN group than IFN group (7.19 +/- 1.42 vs 5.81 +/- 0.75, P = 0.0008). The cumulative rate of deviation from objects of any treatment for recurrent HCC was also higher in the non-IFN group than IFN group (6.7% and 27% vs 0 and 0% at 1- and 3-year, P = 0.048, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Low-dose intermittent IFN-alpha therapy for patients with HCV-related compensated cirrhosis after curative HCC treatment was effective by making patients tolerant to medical or surgical treatment for recurrent HCC in the later period of observation.
Jeong
Soocheol
S
Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Division of Frontier Medical Science, Programs for Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3, Kasumi, Hiroshima, Japan.
Aikata
Hiroshi
H
Katamura
Yoshio
Y
Azakami
Takahiro
T
Kawaoka
Tomokazu
T
Saneto
Hiromi
H
Uka
Kiminori
K
Mori
Nami
N
Takaki
Shintaro
S
Kodama
Hideaki
H
Waki
Koji
K
Imamura
Michio
M
Shirakawa
Hiroo
H
Kawakami
Yoshiiku
Y
Takahashi
Shoichi
S
Chayama
Kazuaki
K
D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha