This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Nucleos(t)ide analog therapy reduced HCC risk in patients with chronic HBV

Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus who underwent nucleos(t)ide analog therapy had a lower risk for hepatocellular carcinoma compared with untreated patients, according to new research data.

Researchers studied 43,190 patients (mean age, 43.5 years; 76% men) with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) who were enrolled in Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database and divided them into treated (n=21,595) and untreated (n=21,595) groups.

Each treated patient received nucleos(t)ide analog (NUC) therapy for at least 90 days, and all untreated patients were assigned hepatoprotectants for at least 90 days. Of the treated patients, 19,063 received one NUC (12,938 received lamivudine, 5,748 entecavir and 377 telbivudine) and 2,532 received more than one. Follow-up was from diagnosis of chronic HBV until the patient developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), died or Dec. 31, 2010. The mean duration of NUC therapy in the treated group was 1.44 years; untreated patients received hepatoprotectants for a mean of 1.24 years.

Treated patients had a lower incidence rate for HCC compared with untreated patients (4.6% vs. 20.6%) and lower overall mortality rate (6.5% vs. 22.1%). Multivariable analysis showed NUC therapy was associated with a lower risk for HCC development (P<.001), even after adjusting for competing mortality and other variables. Patients who were aged younger than 40 years, did not have cirrhosis or diabetes benefited the most from the therapy, according to researchers. Older age, male sex or liver cirrhosis were risk factors for HCC.

“Nucleos(t)ide analog use is associated with reduced risk of HCC in chronic [HBV] patients,” the researchers wrote. “More studies are needed to explore the wider use of nucleos(t)ide analogs for prolonged periods to decrease the incidences of HCC.”

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.