Effects of Long-Term Postoperative Interferon-α Therapy on Intrahepatic Recurrence after Resection of Hepatitis C Virus–Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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Abstract
Interferon therapy decreases the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C. To evaluate effects of interferon-α on recurrence after resection of hepatitis C virus–related hepatocellular carcinoma. Randomized, controlled trial. University hospital, medical center, and affiliated hospital in Osaka, Japan. 30 men were randomly allocated after resection to the interferon-α group (n = 15) or the control group (n = 15). Patients in the interferon-α group received interferon-α, 6 MIU intramuscularly daily for 2 weeks, then three times weekly for 14 weeks, and finally twice weekly for 88 weeks. Recurrence rates after resection. Recurrent tumors were detected in 5 patients in the interferon-α group and in 12 control patients. The recurrence rate was significantly lower in the interferon-α group than in the control group (P = 0.037). Postoperative interferon-α therapy appears to decrease recurrence after resection of hepatitis C virus–related hepatocellular carcinoma.

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