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Antiviral therapy and hepatocellular carcinoma risk in hepatitis B patients with cirrhosis.

Antiviral therapy and hepatocellular carcinoma risk in hepatitis B patients with cirrhosis. European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology Gao, X. n., Yang, H. I., Trinh, H. n., Jeong, D. n., Li, J. n., Zhang, J. n., Le, A. n., Hoang, J. n., Nguyen, P. n., Henry, L. n., Nguyen, M. H. 2019

Abstract

Our goal was to evaluate the effect of antiviral therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma incidence for cirrhotic patients with lower hepatitis B virus DNA levels.Consecutive cirrhosis patients from a US cohort (n = 381) and 408 patients from a Taiwan cohort were enrolled. Patients were classified into a low (<20 IU/ml) and high hepatitis B virus DNA group (=20 IU/ml), and each was further stratified into treated and untreated subgroups.Except for hepatitis B e antigen, baseline characteristics were similar for both hepatitis B virus DNA groups. Antiviral therapy significantly reduced hepatocellular carcinoma incidence in cirrhotic patients with hepatitis B virus DNA =20 IU/ml at 5-years (12.2% vs. 22.8%) and 10-years (23.3% vs. 37.2%) (P = 0.0018). For cirrhotic patients with hepatitis B virus DNA <20 IU/ml, there was no statistically significant difference in cumulative hepatocellular carcinoma incidence between the treated and untreated groups. After adjusting for age, sex, and hepatitis B e antigen status, antiviral therapy was an independent predictor (hazard ratio 0.43, P < 0.0001) for reduced hepatocellular carcinoma risk in patients with hepatitis B virus DNA =20 IU/ml.Antiviral therapy was associated with a 57% reduction in hepatocellular carcinoma incidence in chronic hepatitis B patients with cirrhosis and hepatitis B virus DNA as low as 20 IU/ml (but no lower). However, hepatocellular carcinoma incidence remained substantial, regardless of hepatitis B virus DNA levels and treatment status, highlighting the need for ongoing hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance for all cirrhotic hepatitis B virus patients.

View details for DOI 10.1097/MEG.0000000000001639

View details for PubMedID 32129773