title: Effect of response to interferon-α therapy on the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine whether interferon-α (IFN-α) therapy may reduce the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and to determine its effect based on responsiveness to IFN-α therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 641 biopsy-proven CHB patients were treated with IFN-α2b. They were followed by biochemistry and/or imaging studies at 3- to 6-month intervals for a median period of 113 months (range 6-222).
  
  
  RESULTS
  HCC was detected in 22 patients and 5- and 10-year cumulative occurrence rates were 0.4 and 3.2%, respectively. In univariate analysis, age (p < 0.001), serum AFP levels (p < 0.001), and serum HBV-DNA levels (p = 0.002) at baseline were associated with HCC development. HCC occurred less frequently in biochemical responders at the end of treatment than in non-responders (p = 0.001). However, virologic response was not associated with HCC development. Multivariate analysis showed that poor biochemical response (p = 0.007) as well as older age (p = 0.018) and a higher serum AFP level (p < 0.001) remained independent predisposing factors of HCC development in CHB patients treated with IFN-α.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the biochemical but not virologic response to IFN-α therapy reduces independently the occurrence of HCC in patients with CHB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Danbi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Hwa
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Sae Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoon-Seon
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kang Mo
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Han Chu
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yung Sang
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eunsil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b