Influence of interferon therapy on outcome after surgery for hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

Influence of interferon (IFN) therapy on postoperative outcomes in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still inconclusive. Of 518 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCV-related HCC, 312 patients with Japan integrated staging score 0-2 were included in this study. Of 50 patients underwent IFN therapy, 29 patients who obtained a normalized alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity irrespective of disappearance of serum HCV RNA were classified as the response group, while 21 patients were classified as the non-response group because their ALT activities were not normalized and serum HCV RNA persisted. The non-IFN group included 262 patients who had not received IFN therapy. The tumor-free and the overall survival rates for patients in the response group were significantly higher than those in other groups. Only one patient in the response group died of HCC recurrence, and the proportion of deaths associated with liver disease (HCC recurrence or cirrhosis) was significantly lower in the response group than other two groups. IFN therapy can improve postoperative outcomes in patients with HCV-related HCC because of suppression of recurrence and preventing progress of cirrhosis, especially when IFN therapy has controlled their active hepatitis.