Time-Degenerative Factors and the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Antiviral Therapy among Hepatitis C Virus Patients: A Model for Prioritization of Treatment

Age and hepatic fibrosis are the factors that increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma over time. We aimed to explore their impact at the initiation of antiviral therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma among chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. A total of 1,281 biopsy-proven CHC patients receiving IFN-based therapy were followed for a mean period of 5.5 years. The 5-year cumulative incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma did not differ between non-sustained virological response (SVR) and SVR patients who were 55 years old (15.1% vs. 7.9%, = 0.03). Compared with SVR, non-SVR was independently predictive of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients 40 to 55 years old [HR/95% confidence intervals (CI), 10.92/3.78-31.56; < 0.001] and >55 years old (HR/CI, 1.96/1.06-3.63; = 0.03) but not in patients 40 years old or with a fibrosis stage >2 increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma over time. .