Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Does interferon-free therapy for hepatitis C after curative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma lead to unexpected recurrences of HCC?

PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194704
April 16, 2018

Does interferon-free direct-acting antiviral therapy for hepatitis C after curative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma lead to unexpected recurrences of HCC? A multicenter study by the Japanese Red Cross Hospital Liver Study Group
Toshie Mashiba, Kouji Joko , Masayuki Kurosaki, Hironori Ochi, Yukio Osaki, Yuji Kojima, Ryo Nakata, Tohru Goto, Akahane Takehiro, Hiroyuki Kimura, Akeri Mitsuda, Chiharu Kawanami, Yasushi Uchida, Chikara Ogawa, Atsunori Kusakabe, Ryuichi Narita, Yasushi Ide, Takehiko Abe, Keiji Tsuji, Tadashi Kitamura, Kazuhiko Okada, Tetsuro Sohda, Masaya Shigeno, Takashi Satou, Namiki Izumi

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Since the era in which interferon (IFN) was the standard treatment for hepatitis C, attempts have been made to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) following hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, but it could be achieved in only a limited number of patients due to side effects. Recently, dramatic progress has been made in anti-HCV therapies. It is now feasible to achieve a sustained virological response (SVR) rate of ≥95% even in older patients or cirrhosis patients with IFN-free direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy that has minimal side effects in older patients and in cirrhosis patients [1], and antiviral therapy can now be performed easily in patients who have undergone HCC treatment. It has been reported that the elimination of HCV with IFN after curative treatment for HCV-associated HCC suppresses HCC recurrences [25]. We have also found that it dramatically extends patients’ survival [6]. However, whether a similar effect can be achieved with DAA therapy is unclear. Furthermore, potential increases in unexpected early recurrence of HCC after HCV elimination have been reported with DAA therapy [7,8]. With this background, the HCC recurrence rate was compared between those who underwent IFN therapy and those who underwent IFN-free therapy after HCC treatment in a large-scale cohort.

Abstract
Background and aim
This study aimed to elucidate whether interferon (IFN)-free direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for hepatitis C after curative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) promotes HCC recurrence in a real-world large-scale cohort.

Methods
This multicenter study was conducted by the Japanese Red Cross Hospital Liver Study Group. This retrospective study analyzed 516 patients who underwent antiviral treatment for hepatitis C with either IFN (n = 148) or IFN-free DAA (n = 368) after curative HCC treatment; 78 IFN-treated patients and 347 IFN-free DAA-treated patients achieved sustained virological response (SVR). The recurrence rate of HCC was compared between the antiviral therapies. Logistic analysis and Cox proportional hazards analysis identified factors associated with early recurrence of HCC within 24 weeks of antiviral therapy and recurrence throughout the observation period, respectively.

Results
AFP at the completion of antiviral therapy, clinical stage of HCC, and non-SVR were independent factors associated with early recurrence of HCC. Among patients who had achieved SVR, the clinical stage of HCC and the level of AFP at completion of antiviral therapy were independent factors associated with early recurrence of HCC. For recurrence throughout the observation period in SVR patients, AFP at completion of antiviral therapy, duration between last HCC treatment to antiviral therapy, and the number of treatments were independent factors. There was no significant difference in the rate of early recurrence of HCC or recurrence throughout the observation period between IFN and IFN-free DAA treated patients.

Conclusions
There were no differences in the early recurrence rate of HCC between patients who underwent IFN and those who underwent IFN-free DAA as antiviral therapies.

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