Natural regression of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B |
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Authors: | Shogo Ohkoshi Haruka Hirono Kazuhiko Watanabe Katsuhiko Hasegawa Kenya Kamimura Masahiko Yano |
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Affiliation: | Shogo Ohkoshi, Haruka Hirono, Kazuhiko Watanabe, Katsuhiko Hasegawa, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Life Dentistry at Niigata, The Nippon Dental University, Niigata 951-8580, JapanKenya Kamimura, Masahiko Yano, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences Niigata University, Niigata 951-8520, Japan |
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Abstract: | The fibrosis of liver cirrhosis was considered to be irreversible before the anti-viral drugs showed that it is reversible when they lead to continuous suppression of viral replication and inflammation. However, several reports previously showed that fibrosis of type B liver cirrhosis was almost completely absorbed after the natural remission of chronic inflammation. This phenomenon might not be limited to exceptional patients, but rather occur commonly, considering the dynamic clinical features of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), where inactive carrier stage normally follows aggravation of hepatitis and progression of fibrosis at the time of HBeAg seroconversion. Thus, fibrosis levels of CHB as a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-surveillance marker, particularly those of the inactive stage, could be underestimated, because some of them might have been (pre)cirrhotic in the past and recovered with the natural regression of fibrosis. We argue that cirrhosis-induced HCC mechanisms, rather than direct action of viral genome, may be more common than generally considered in CHB patients. This may have some impact on reconsidering the surveillance rationale for HCC in CHB, from where advanced HCCs tended to be missed. In addition, a molecular marker to assess the cancer-prone characteristics of the liver will definitely be needed to resolve the issue. |
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Keywords: | Chronic hepatitis B Cirrhosis Spontaneous remission Regression of fibrosis Occult hepatitis B infection Hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance of hepatitis B virus |
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