Interferon alpha inhibits intrahepatic recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma with chronic hepatitis C: a pilot study

The aim of the present study is to evaluate whether interferon alpha (IFN a lpha) therapy can inhibit intrahepatic recurrence after the curative treatm ent of small HCC with underlying chronic hepatitis C. Forty patients were e nrolled in this study. They had solitary, small HCC less than or equal to 3 cm in diameter, underlying chronic hepatitis C, and were less than or equa l to 70 years old. Of the patients, 18 were treated with IFN alpha for 6 mo nths after the treatment of HCC, and 22 patients who did not receive IFN al pha therapy were used as controls. Six (33%) patients in the IFN group show ed sustained response. The incidence of local recurrence was not different in the IFN and non-IFN groups (6 vs. 9%). The cumulative incidences of dist ant recurrence in the non-IFN and IFN groups were 9 and 6% at 1 year, 27 an d 11% at 2 years, 63 and 18% at 3 years, 76 and 28% at 4 years, and 82 and 28% at 5 years; they were significantly different (P < 0.01). Six (27%) pat ients in the non-IFN group died from the progression of HCC. but all IFN-tr eated patients were alive (P < 0.05). The pilot study demonstrates that IFN alpha therapy after the curative treatment of small HCC can inhibit intrah epatic recurrence in the remnant liver and improve the prognosis of hepatit is: C virus-related HCC. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .