Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein Levels During and After Interferon Therapy and the Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C

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Dig Dis Sci. 2008 Dec 18. [Epub ahead of print]

Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein Levels During and After Interferon Therapy and the

Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C.

Tamura Y, Yamagiwa S, Aoki Y, Kurita S, Suda T, Ohkoshi S, Nomoto M, Aoyagi Y;

The Niigata Liver Disease Study Group.

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and

Dental Sciences, Niigata University, 757 Asahimachi-dori 1, Chuo-ku, Niigata,

951-8510, Japan, ytamura@....

The association between serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels during and after

interferon (IFN) therapy and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

was evaluated in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). A total of 263

patients treated by IFN with or without ribavirin were enrolled in the study.

Serum AFP levels during and after IFN therapy were investigated retrospectively,

and statistical analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with

HCC development. During IFN therapy, serum AFP levels significantly decreased,

regardless of virologic response to treatment. Increased serum AFP levels (>/=10

ng/ml) at the end of IFN therapy (EOT) was a close-to-significant variable

affecting the development of HCC (P = 0.057), and a significantly higher

cumulative incidence of HCC was seen in patients with increased serum AFP levels

at EOT (P = 0.021). Serum AFP level at EOT is a possible predictor of HCC in CHC

patients after IFN therapy.

PMID: 19093203 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher