A clinical study combining Entecavir with TACE to treat patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma with undetectable levels of HBV-DNA / 中华肝胆外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the efficacy of combining Entecavir with TACE to treat patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma with undetectable levels of HBV-DNA.Methods From Aug 2011 to Sep 2013, patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma but with undetectable levels of HBV DNA who underwent TACE were divided into the treatment group (treated with Entecavir antiviral therapy) and the control group.The endpoints of the study were HBV reactivation rates, liver function, and survival rates.Results Using our predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 64 patients with primary liver cancer were divided into the treatment group (n =32) and the control group (n =32).The transaminase and bilirubin levels were raised and the albumin level was reduced at 5 days after TACE.However, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups (P ＞0.05).At 12-month follow-up after TACE, 8 (25.0％) patients developed HBV reactivation in the control group and 2 (6.3％) in the treatment group, the difference was significant (P ＜ 0.05).The level of transaminase was significantly higher in the HBV reactivation group when compared with the no HBV reactivation group (P ＜ 0.05).The overall 6-and 12-month survival rates in the treatment group and the control group were 93.8％ and 84.4％ vs 90.6％ and 59.4％ respectively.There were significant differences in the 12-month survival rates (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Entecavir combined with TACE to treat patients with HBV-related primary liver cancer with undetectable HBV-DNA effectively reduced HBV reactivation and improved survival at 12 months.