Resolution of liver cirrhosis and prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma by interferon therapy against chronic hepatitis C

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most important medical problems facing the Asian-Pacific region, where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B and C is so high. Every year, we have approximately 500 admissions to our department due to this malignancy. It is of utmost importance that we have efficient screening, diagnosis and treatment. Over the past several years, there has been steady improvement in elucidating the super-high risk group for HCC, and in the management of these patients. I discuss how effectively we can screen patients by using three tests, conventional AFP, AFP-L3 (lectin fraction) and DCP (des-gamma-carboxy-prothrombin). With these tests we can detect HCC as small as 10 mm. In addition, imaging technology including CT-angiography can effectively pick up small cancer nodules. However, they are not always readily available in all Asian countries. Thus, diagnostic procedures and treatment methods can be modified in each country depending on the situation. One such treatment modality is the percutaneous therapy. The recent introduction of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has dramatically changed our daily clinical practice. The time needed to treat cancer nodules of 2 to 3 cm in size has been reduced from 1 month or longer with ethanol injection to less than a week with RFA. However, the most important issue is to prevent infection and progression from chronic hepatitis to HCC. The recent introduction of improved antiviral therapy makes us feel optimistically that we might eventually have a comprehensive strategy for HCC in the region where it is most needed.