Early on-treatment change in liver stiffness predicts development of liver-related events in chronic hepatitis B patients receiving antiviral therapy.

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: Monitoring fibrosis is mandatory for detailed prognostification in patients with chronic liver disease. We developed optimized cut-offs for liver stiffness (LS) values, based on the histological subclassification of cirrhosis, and investigated whether early on-treatment changes in LS values can predict long-term prognosis in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related advanced liver fibrosis receiving antiviral therapy. METHODS: Between 2005 and 2008, 103 patients with F3 or F4 fibrosis on liver biopsy were enrolled prospectively. Cirrhosis was subclassified into three groups (F4A, F4B and F4C) according to Laennec system. The primary end-point was occurrence of liver-related event (LRE), including decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related death. RESULTS: Suggested LS cut-offs for predicting F4B-FC (vs. F3-F4A) and F4C (vs. F3-F4B) were 11.6 and 18.2 kPa respectively. As proportions of patients with LRE occurrence increased according to histological subclassifications stage F3-4A vs. F4B-4C (7.4% vs. 17.1%) and stage F3-4B vs. F4C (13.8% vs. 18.8%), they also increased according to LS cut-off value of 11.6 kPa (5.9% vs. 23.1%) and 18.2 kPa (9.8% vs. 33.3%) respectively (all P < 0.05). Similarly, according to stratified LS values (<11.6, 11.6-18.2 and ≥18.2 kPa), overall incidence of LREs and each constituent event increased significantly (all P < 0.05). In addition, the observed changes in LS values between baseline and 6 months of follow-up showed significant correlations with LRE development. CONCLUSIONS: Stratified LS values based on Laennec system and dynamic changes in LS values on follow-up may be helpful in assessing risk of LREs in subjects with HBV-related advanced liver fibrosis receiving antiviral therapy.

Radiation-induced hepatic toxicity after radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

AIM: The purpose of the present study was to analyze hepatic toxicity following radiotherapy combined with regional chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: From 2001 to 2003, a total of 132 patients with HCC received 3-D conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) combined with chemotherapy. Patients were divided into two groups based on drug localization: the transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) group, where the chemotherapeutic drug (adriamycin) was localized within the tumor, and the non-TACE group, where the drugs (adriamycin, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil) were diffusely spread over the entire liver. RESULTS: Patients were evaluated by biochemical parameters for any hepatic toxicity prior to, during, and until 12 months after 3D-CRT. Hepatic toxicity was defined as radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) or combined modality-induced liver disease (CMILD), which is defined as RILD with abnormal elevation of total bilirubin levels. In the TACE group, three patients developed RILD (5.6%) and none developed CMILD. In the non-TACE group, three patients (3.7%) and seven patients (8.8%) developed RILD and CMILD, respectively. CONCLUSION: Hepatic toxicity following radiotherapy combined with regional chemotherapy for HCC might be influenced by the distribution of the chemotherapeutic drugs. A more precise understanding of hepatic toxicity from chemoradiotherapy will help design optimal treatments for HCC.