ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis if managed late. Percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) emerged as one of the top therapeutic decisions for non-surgical patients. The aim of the present study aim was to evaluate the efficacy, side effects, and survival after MWA of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC tumors with spectrum sizes up to 5 cm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine patients with early HCC were treated in the Hepatology Department using percutaneous MWA. Patients were assessed for side effects and efficacy that includes the rate of complete ablation, primary or de novo recurrence, and survival. RESULTS: Complete ablation was achieved in 57 (96.6%) patients treated by MWA, with a minor complication rate of 3.3% (n=2) including liver abscess formation and abdominal skin burn. The ablation rates in lesions <3 versus 3-5 cm were not different. Of the patients, 3 (5%) had primary recurrence in the treated HCC tumors, de novo lesions (secondary recurrence) developed in 8 (13.5%, 5 of them >3 cm), and 2 (3.3%) had malignant portal vein thrombosis. The survival rates were 95.4% and 69% at 1 and 2 years, respectively. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous MWA had achieved a safe and effective treatment with good overall survival in patients with HCV-related HCC.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/surgery , Catheter Ablation/mortality , Hepacivirus , Hepatitis C/complications , Liver Neoplasms/surgery , Microwaves/therapeutic use , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/mortality , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/virology , Catheter Ablation/methods , Female , Hepatitis C/virology , Humans , Liver Neoplasms/virology , Male , Middle Aged , Survival Rate , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Although hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence after liver transplantation (LTx) has been reduced since the application of the combination of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and nucleos(t)ide analogs (NUCs), the optimum regimen to prevent HBV recurrence with LTx favorable outcome is still not clear. AIM: The aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of NUCs prophylaxis (±HBIG) against HBV recurrence after LTx. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort-longitudinal study on 44 HBV-related post-LTx patients on anti-HBV prophylactic therapy. They included the entecavir (ETV)-based (n=34, 30 males) and the other NUC-based (n=10, 7 males) groups±HBIG. RESULTS: The median age was 63.5 (60-70) years in ETV and 62.5 (55-65) years in other NUCs groups. The mean follow-up duration was 6.09±1.83 years in ETV-based group and 6.3±1.89 years in other NUCs-based group. The mean ETV duration was 3.47±3.04 years. In ETV+HBIG patients, none of them developed HBV recurrence throughout the ±8 years. In the 14 patients on ETV+other NUC+HBIG, four developed HBsAg positive and then transformed to HbsAb positive at the end of ±8 years without hepatitis or detectable HBV-DNA. Liver graft function showed nonsignificant difference for ETV-based patients, in comparison with other NUC groups (P=0.09). With subdivision, the graft function was maintained significantly better in ETV+HBIG or other NUCs+HBIG (P=0.04) groups. None of our patients reported NUCs-related complications or adverse effects. CONCLUSION: ETV and other NUCs were effective and safe as a long-term prophylaxis of HBV recurrence after LTx, leading to a good graft function. HBsAg temporally reappeared in a minority of patients, where all showed HBsAb seroconversion without detectable HBV-DNA or clinical hepatitis.
