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Semin Liver Dis 2017; 37(02): 109-118
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1601349
The Immune-Inflammation Connection
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA

Liver Cancer Emergence Associated with Antiviral Treatment: An Immune Surveillance Failure?

María Reig
1   BCLC group. Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Barcelona, Spain
,
Loreto Boix
1   BCLC group. Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Barcelona, Spain
,
Zoe Mariño
2   Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Barcelona, Spain
,
Ferran Torres
3   Medical Statistics Core Facility, IDIBAPS, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Spain; Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
,
Xavier Forns
2   Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Barcelona, Spain
,
Jordi Bruix
1   BCLC group. Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Barcelona, Spain
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
07 April 2017 (online)

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Abstract

The availability of new direct antiviral agents to safely and effectively treat the hepatitis C virus represents a major advancement in the field of liver disease. Most patients achieve complete viral eradication sustained over time. In addition, the administration of these new agents is safe and does not require limitations when liver function is impaired. Some now expect the hepatitis C virus to be completely eradicated in a few years. However, not all data are positive. In April 2016, we published a cohort study suggesting that viral eradication with the new agents could be associated in time with the emergence of recurrent cancer sites in patients previously treated for hepatocellular carcinoma. In this review, we update our report and summarize the data provided in recent publications. We also speculate about the mechanisms for cancer emergence and stress the need for further studies.

Keywords

hepatitis C - hepatocellular carcinoma - direct antiviral agents - incidence - recurrence

Financial Support

María Reig received support in part from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI15/00145). Xavier Forns received support in part from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI15/00151). Jordi Bruix received grant support from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI14/00962), AECC (PI044031), and WCR (AICR) 16–0026. Xavier Forns and Jordi Bruix received grant support from the Secretaria d'Universitats i Recerca del Departament d'Economia i Coneixement (2014 SGR 605 and 233), and from the Spanish Health Ministry (Plan Estratégico Nacional contra la Hepatitis C).


 

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