HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA IN PRIMARY BILIARY-CIRRHOSIS

Primary biliary cirrhosis is considered a low risk for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. We evaluated the incidence of hepatocell ular carcinoma in a cohort of 89 female primary biliary cirrhosis pati ents and, as a control group, in 73 female patients with cirrhosis of a different etiology. The patients underwent ultrasound and alfa-fetop rotein determination every 6 months. Two patients developed hepatocell ular carcinoma in the primary biliary cirrhosis and three in the contr ol group, respectively. The Relative Risk for hepatocellular carcinoma in primary biliary cirrhosis patients was 0.7. However, when consider ing only stage IV, primary biliary cirrhosis patients with cirrhosis, the Relative Risk was actually 1.5 with respect to controls, with 1.4% cases of hepatocellular carcinoma per year. These data suggest that t he risk of hepatocellular carcinoma is similar in female patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and in female patients with cirrhosis of a different etiology. (C) Journal of Hepatology.