Hepatocellular Carcinoma Incidence in Hepatitis C Patients Treated With Direct-Acting Antivirals and Its Relationship to Hepatic Fibrosis Stage

Abstract

The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has a major impact on public health and is thought to be responsible for 25% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 27% of cirrhosis cases worldwide. Recent direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C have the potential to reduce this disease burden, but there are increased worries about HCC incidence in HCV patients receiving DAAs. This work assessed the HCC incidence in HCV patients treated with DAAs and its relationship to Hepatic Fibrosis Stage.The study included 400 chronic HCV patients equally divided into two groups: chronic HCV patients who did not receive anti HCV medication (control group) and chronic HCV patients who received different DAAs treatment regimens. There was a highly significant difference between both groups as regards hepatic fibrosis stages before DAAs therapy. The DAA receiving group had highly statistically advanced hepatic fibrosis when compared to the control group. After eighteen months of follow up, the DAA receiving group had a significantly lower incidence of HCC when compared to the control group (5.5% versus 11% respectively, p-value 0.04).