Long‐term effect of interferon alpha‐2b plus ribavirin therapy on incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis C virus‐related cirrhosis

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Abstract
Summary.  We assessed the efficacy of interferon (IFN) alpha‐2b plus ribavirin therapy in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐related cirrhosis, and elucidated the risk factors for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to determine whether these therapies might reduce the incidence of HCC. One hundred and thirty‐two HCV‐cirrhotic patients receiving IFN alpha‐2b (3 or 5 MU thrice weekly) and oral ribavirin (1000–1200 mg/day) for 24 or 48 weeks were analysed. Cumulative incidence of HCC was estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method. The prognostic relevance of clinical variables and HCC occurrence was evaluated by univariate analysis with the log‐rank test and by multivariate Cox's regression analysis. A total of 116 patients completed the treatment and 73 (55%) achieved a sustained virological response (SVR). Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that nongenotype 1b (P < 0.001) and low viral load (P = 0.018) were independent variables of SVR. During a median follow‐up period of 37 (12–63) months, HCC developed in 11 patients with non‐SVR and five with SVR (P = 0.0178), whereas there was no difference between those with transient biochemical response and nonresponse (P = 0.5970). The Kaplan–Meier method also showed that old age (≥60 years) (P = 0.0034) and genotype 1b (P = 0.0104) were associated with HCC occurrence. Using Cox's regression analysis, non‐SVR (odds ratio = 3.521, P = 0.036), male (odds ratio = 6.269, P = 0.011) and old age (odds ratio = 3.076, P = 0.049) were independent significant risk factors contributing to HCC development. Our results suggest that achieving SVR by IFN alpha‐2b plus ribavirin therapy may decrease the incidence of HCC in patients with HCV‐related cirrhosis.