title: Efficacy and anticarcinogenic activity of ribavirin combination therapy for hepatitis C virus-related compensated cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anticarcinogenic activity of ribavirin combination therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related compensated cirrhosis is still unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  In study 1, in 157 consecutive patients with HCV-related compensated cirrhosis, treatment efficacy with interferon plus ribavirin therapy was evaluated for 48 weeks of HCV genotype 1b (HCV-1b) or 24 weeks of HCV-2a/2b. In study 2, in 185 consecutive patients with HCV-related compensated cirrhosis, who showed no sustained virological response following the first course of interferon monotherapy, hepatocarcinogenesis rates were evaluated according to the additional treatment, and they were classified into three groups: no treatment, interferon monotherapy, and ribavirin combination therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In study 1, in HCV-1b, rates of sustained virological response and sustained biochemical response were 21 and 56%, respectively. In HCV-2a/2b, rates of sustained virological response and sustained biochemical response were 70 and 78%, respectively. In HCV-1b, sustained biochemical response rates were significantly higher than those of sustained virological response. In study 2, the hepatocarcinogenesis rates in ribavirin combination therapy were significantly lower than those in interferon monotherapy and no treatment, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ribavirin combination therapy for HCV-related compensated cirrhosis reduces the risk of hepatocarcinogenesis in comparison with interferon monotherapy, and higher rates of sustained biochemical response might be associated with lower hepatocarcinogenesis rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo 105-0001, Japan. akuta-gi@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akuta
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yuya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seko
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sezaki
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosaka
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saitoh
authors.forename: Yasuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arase
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons