title: Safety and efficacy of adjuvant pegylated interferon therapy for metastatic tumor antigen 1-positive hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Metastatic tumor antigen 1 (MTA1) overexpression is closely associated with postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It has been suggested that pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) can prevent the occurrence of HCC in patients who have chronic viral hepatitis. In this study, the authors examined whether postoperative adjuvant Peg-IFN therapy can reduce the recurrence of MTA1-positive HCC after curative surgical resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this case-control study, 93 patients with MTA1-positive HCC who underwent curative surgical resection were prospectively enrolled. The median patient age was 53 years (range, 27-78); there were 65 men and 28 women; the etiology was hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 77 patients, hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 6 patients, and non-HBV/non-HCV in 10 patients; 31 patients received Peg-IFN (Peg-INTRON) subcutaneously at a dose of 50 μg per week for 12 months (the Peg-IFN group); and the remaining 62 patients were followed only and did not receive any adjuvant therapies (control group). Patients were followed every 1 to 3 months for a median of 24 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HCC recurred postoperatively in 26 of 93 patients (28%), and 9 patients (10%) died during follow-up. The overall cumulative recurrence rates were significantly lower in the Peg-IFN group than in the control group (7% and 14% vs. 24% and 34% at 1 year and 2 years, respectively; P < .05). In addition, the 1-year and 2-year cumulative survival rates were higher in the Peg-IFN group compared with the control group (100% vs. 93% and 100% vs. 87%, respectively; P < .05). In multivariate analysis, the receipt of adjuvant Peg-IFN therapy, in addition to having a lower Cancer of the Liver Italian Program score and being a woman, was an independent, favorable factor for a lower risk of postoperative recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current data indicate that adjuvant Peg-IFN therapy may reduce the recurrence of HCC in patients who have MTA1-positive HCC after curative surgical resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Danbi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Hwa
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jeong A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won Hyung
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young-Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Ju Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Soo Hyung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Myoung Kuk
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Eunsil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Young Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015996:Survival Rate; D015534:Trans-Activators
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; C089320:MTA1 protein, human; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006655:Histone Deacetylases; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b