Direct Acting Antivirals and Tumor Occurrence, Recurrence Amongst Hcv-Related Cirrhotic Patients, Treated Hcc And Post Liver Transplant Patients

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is responsible for chronic hepatitis C, a necro-inflammatory process of the liver that progresses towards liver cirrhosis in about 20- 30% of patients. When liver cirrhosis is established, liver cancer may occur at an average 3.5% annual rate. During the past decades, treatment of chronic hepatitis C with pegylated interferon and ribavirin led to cure of HCV infection in about 50% of treated patients. Objective: to evaluate the early occurrence of HCC in cirrhotic patients without history of liver cancer and the recurrence of HCC in cirrhotic patients with a history of previously treated HCC, systematically followed during and after treatment with direct acting antivirals (DAA). Patients and Methods: All the studied cases were subjected to the following: careful medical history taking, full physical examination, and laboratory investigations including CBC, liver function tests, coagulation profile, AFP Abdominal ultrasonography and triphasic CT. The Child-Pugh was calculated too. Results: Our results revealed; highly significant increase in F3 and F4 stage in treated HCC and cirrhotic HCV groups; compared to post-liver transplant group; with highly significant statistical difference (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Our results revealed; highly significant increase in recurrence rate at tri-phasic CT; and HFLs in U/S measurements in cirrhotic HCV group; with highly significant difference (p < 0.05 respectively). Keywords: Hepatitis C virus infection, Chronic liver diseases, Sustained virological response