Open AccessDelayed development of hepatocellular carcinoma during long-term follow-up after eradication of hepatitis C virus by interferon therapy
Author(s) -
Yukiko Ito,
Natsuyo Yamamoto,
Rieko Nakata,
Yoshihisa Kato,
Masashi Iori,
Keisuke Sakai,
Tamiko Takemura,
Ryosuke Tateishi,
Haruhiko Yoshida,
Takao Kawabe,
Masao Omata
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
world journal of gastroenterology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.427
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 2219-2840
pISSN - 1007-9327
DOI - 10.3748/wjg.v11.i45.7218
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , medicine , cirrhosis , hepatitis c virus , interferon , fibrosis , gastroenterology , liver function , hepatitis c , carcinoma , virus , pathology , immunology
A 42-year-old Japanese man with liver cirrhosis by hepatitis C virus (HCV) had successful interferon therapy in May 1991. Since then, serum HCV-RNA and liver function tests had been negative. He had continued to drink more than 100 g/d of alcohol as before. In June 2003, a 5-cm tumor was found in the posterior segment of the liver. The tumor was curatively resected and the surgical specimen showed a well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Non-cancerous lesions of the liver revealed fibrosis at stage F3 with minimal to mild inflammation of grade A1. Heavy drinking may retard the dissolution of fibrosis and accelerate HCC development in patients with sustained virological response.