— Christine M. Kukka, Project Manager, HBV Advocate
A team of researchers from Thomas Jefferson
University Hospital reports that antiviral treatment after removal of a
liver cancer tumor increased survival from an average 1.3 years to 6.6
years.
The team compared survival in 25
hepatitis B patients who each had similar-sized liver tumors removed
through a process known as tumor ablation–involving the removal of
liver tumors using heat, cold or chemicals.
None of the patients had ever
been treated with antivirals prior to surgery. Nine male patients
(average age 53) received no antiviral treatment after surgery while 16
patients (14 male, average age 56) were treated with antivirals.
The average survival rate of
untreated patients was 16 months (ranging from three to 36 months). In
contrast, patients treated with antivirals survived an average of 80
months or 6.6 years (averaging 15 to 152 months).
Fourteen of 16 antiviral-treated patients are alive today, with two patients living for more than 12 years.
Researchers, writing in the February issue of the journal of Cancer Medicine,
concluded that antiviral therapy for patients with liver cancer,
"reduces and prevents new/recurrent tumor and improves survival. This
novel treatment strategy offers an alternative to liver transplantation
in patients with hepatitis B-associated (liver cancer)."
Labels: antivirals and HCC
