Five-Year Follow-Up of Cured HCV Patients under Real-World Interferon-Free Therapy.

Abstract

(1) Background: Treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections with direct-acting antivirals (DAA) has demonstrated high efficacy and an excellent safety profile. The cured patients showed a sustained virological response and improved liver function, but also a continued risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during the 2-3 years of follow-up after treatment; (2) Methods: A total of 192 patients out of 209 of the primary AMBER study were analyzed five years after treatment with ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir with or without dasabuvir and with or without ribavirin. Results: We confirmed that HCV clearance after DAA treatment is stable regardless of baseline liver fibrosis. We found that sustained virologic response is associated with a gradual but significant reduction in liver stiffness over 5 years. Liver function improved during the first 2 years of follow-up and remained stable thereafter. The risk of death due to HCC as well as death due to HCV persists through 5 years of follow-up after successful DAA treatment. However, in non-cirrhotic patients, it appears to clear up 3 years after treatment; (3) Conclusions: Monitoring for more than 5 years after curing HCV infection is necessary to assess the long-term risk of possible development of HCC, especially in patients with cirrhosis of the liver.

• Authors: Robert Flisiak, Dorota Zarębska-Michaluk, Ewa Janczewska, Tadeusz Łapiński, Magdalena Rogalska, Ewa Karpińska, Tomasz Mikuła, Beata Bolewska, Jolanta Białkowska, Katarzyna Flejscher-Stępniewska, Krzysztof Tomasiewicz, Kornelia Karwowska, Monika Pazgan-Simon, Anna Piekarska, Hanna Berak, Olga Tronina, Aleksander Garlicki, Jerzy Jaroszewicz
• Journal: Cancers (Cancers (Basel)) Vol. 13 Issue 15 (Jul 22 2021) ISSN: 2072-6694 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 34359594 (Publication Type: Journal Article)