Benefit of interferon-alpha(2b) in a patient with unresectable hepatoma and chronic infection with hepatitis C virus

Only in a small proportion of patients is advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) resectable, so the need for effective non-surgical treatments is obv ious. We present details of a 72-year-old woman with inoperable HCC and chr onic infection with hepatitis C virus, proved by the presence of antibodies directed against hepatitis C virus and positive polymerase chain reaction, The patient was treated with subcutaneous recombinant human interferon-alp ha-2b, Within a few weeks, a partial tumour remission, paralleled by a decr ease in serum levels of tumour markers and liver enzymes, was observed. In addition, polymerase chain reaction became negative. This observation facil itates the hypothesis that the anti-viral effects of interferon might have been jointly responsible for the anti-tumour activity observed, Interferon- alpha might serve as a treatment option in patients with unresectable hepat oma and chronic active viral hepatitis, but prospective studies are warrant ed. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 12:251-253 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & W ilkins.