Development of hepatocellular carcinoma in autoimmune hepatitis patients: a case series.
BACKGROUND
The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is believed to be low compared with other chronic liver diseases, and uncertainty exists over the need to perform HCC surveillance. If surveillance is initiated, the optimal timing is also not yet defined.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of HCC among AIH patients.


METHODS
This was a retrospective study analyzing patient data from 1999 to 2009 in a large tertiary-care community hospital to assess the prevalence of HCC among AIH patients.


RESULTS
Among 322 AIH cases, cancer screening identified six patients that developed HCC (prevalence: 459 per 100,000 patient-years). All six patients were extracted from the subset of AIH patients with cirrhosis (n = 50), resulting in a prevalence of 1,920 per 100,000 patient-years. In the AIH with HCC cohort, mean age of AIH diagnosis was 51.8 years (range, 24-70) and mean age of HCC diagnosis was 60.0 years (range, 37-71). The mean interval between diagnosis of AIH and HCC was 10.0 years. Three patients had AJCC stage ≥2 cancer at diagnosis, and two had BCLC stage B or C.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of HCC among AIH patients with cirrhosis is 1.9% per year. This is comparable to HCC risk among patients with cirrhosis secondary to HBV, HCV, hemochromatosis, or alcohol-related liver disease. Although this data needs to be confirmed in prospective studies, routine cancer screening and surveillance among this cohort for early detection and treatment should be conducted.
Department of Medicine, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA. RobertWong123@gmail.com
Robert J
RJ
Wong
Robert
R
Gish
Todd
T
Frederick
Natalie
N
Bzowej
Catherine
C
Frenette
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology