Adjuvant interferon therapy after surgical treatment for hepatitis B / C virus‐related hepatocellular carcinoma: A meta‐analysis

Aim This meta‐analysis aimed to determine whether interferon ( IFN ) therapy could improve clinical effects of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus ( HBV )or hepatitis C virus ( HCV ) infection‐related primary hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ) after surgery. Methods An electronic search from J anuary 1998 to D ecember 2012 was conducted to identify comparative studies evaluating IFN therapy on recurrence and survival after surgical treatment of HCC . Results The estimated odds ratios ( OR ) for the 1‐, 2‐, 3‐ and 5‐year overall survival rates of HBV ‐related HCC were 3.37 (95% confidence interval [ CI ], 1.18–6.27), 2.36 (95% CI , 1.45–3.83), 1.81 (95% CI , 1.21–2.72) and 1.93 (95% CI , 1.35–2.75), respectively; and the OR for the 1‐, 2‐, 3‐ and 5‐year recurrence rates were 0.63 (95% CI , 0.44–0.91), 0.84 (95% CI , 0.60–1.18), 0.88 (95% CI , 0.63–1.22) and 0.78 (95% CI , 0.56–1.07), respectively. The overall survival rates of HCV ‐related HCC were significantly higher in IFN groups than in control groups at 1, 2, 3 and 5 years ( OR , 2.10; 95% CI , 0.96–4.55; OR , 1.71; 95% CI , 1.01–2.89; OR , 1.76; 95% CI , 1.09–2.83; and OR , 3.03; 95% CI , 1.97–4.65, respectively); and the recurrence rates of IFN groups were lower than control groups at 1, 2, 3 and 5 years ( OR , 0.60; 95% CI , 0.38–0.92; OR , 0.57; 95% CI , 0.41–0.81; OR , 0.58; 95% CI , 0.41–0.80; and OR , 0.52; 95% CI , 0.36–0.75, respectively). Conclusion In conclusion, IFN therapy in this meta‐analysis shows a significant clinical effect in postoperative patients of HCC , particularly in HCV ‐related HCC .