title: Effects of antiviral therapy for hepatitis C following treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: survey findings of the Japanese Red Cross Liver Study Group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate, in a large number of cases at multiple institutions, the effects and limitations of antiviral therapy for hepatitis C following treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis was performed of 112 patients who had received interferon (IFN) for treating hepatitis C following treatment of HCC and were registered with the Japanese Red Cross Liver Study Group. Factors that may influence recurrence and survival rates were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Factors involved in prevention of recurrence were: surgical resection as HCC treatment, platelet and α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels prior to IFN administration, IFN adherence and post-IFN AFP level. Multivariate analysis showed post-IFN AFP level to be an independent factor. Factors involved in prolonging survival were: IFN adherence, IFN response (sustained viral response), pre-IFN alanine aminotransferase and AFP levels, post-IFN AFP level and absence of recurrence. Multivariate analysis showed absence of recurrence to be an independent factor. Although IFN adherence was involved in recurrence and survival, ribavirin adherence was not. IFN was suggested to be involved in preventing recurrence and improving survival due not only to its anti-viral effect, but also its antitumor effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although complete prevention of HCC recurrence is difficult, the most important factor affecting first recurrence is the AFP level at 6 months after the conclusion of antiviral treatment. The survival rate improves dramatically if the hepatitis C virus is eliminated, but the most important factor for improving survival is absence of recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Center for Liver-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Matsuyama Red Cross Hospital, Matsuyama.
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Joko
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Japanese Red Cross Hospital Omori, Ootaku.
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.affiliation: Hepatology Division, Fukuoka Red Cross Hospital, Fukuoka.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Tottori Red Cross Hospital, Tottori.
authors.forename: Akari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitsuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Matsue Red Cross Hospital, Matsue.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Asahikawa Red Cross Hospital, Asahikawa.
authors.forename: Chitomi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hasebe
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Nagasaki Genbaku Hospital, Nagasaki.
authors.forename: Shotaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsuruta
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Japanese Red Cross Kyoto Daiichi Hospital, Kyoto.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Ashikaga Hospital, Ashikaga.
authors.forename: Takero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Japan Red Cross Wakayama Medical Center, Wakayama.
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akamatsu
authors.affiliation: Center for Liver-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Matsuyama Red Cross Hospital, Matsuyama.
authors.forename: Toshie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mashiba
authors.affiliation: Center for Liver-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Matsuyama Red Cross Hospital, Matsuyama.
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ochi
authors.affiliation: Center for Liver-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Matsuyama Red Cross Hospital, Matsuyama.
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Musashino, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Musashino, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurosaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Musashino, Japan.
authors.forename: Namiki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Izumi
keywords: hepatitis C virus; hepatocellular carcinoma; interferon; recurrence; ribavirin; survival