The Egyptian Journal of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (May 2024)

Hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C virus patients treated with direct acting antivirals (DAAs) and patients not exposed to DAAs: a large center comparative study

  • Mohamed Elgazzar,
  • Tary Salman,
  • Eman Abdelsameea,
  • Mohamed Akl,
  • Nabil Omar,
  • Mohamed Abdel-Samiee,
  • Shrif Abas,
  • Mohmoud Elsakhawy,
  • Ahmed Elsherif,
  • Ibrahim Abdelkader,
  • Dina Elazab,
  • Nermine Ehsan,
  • Mohamed Mohamady,
  • Mohamed El-Kassas,
  • Hazem Metwaly Omar

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s43055-024-01249-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 55, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the first cause of cancer in Egypt. Recently, HCC developed post direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) differ in some characteristics from those developed without DAAs exposure regarding the biological features and behavior of HCC. We aimed to assess the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings besides the biological behavior of HCC patients post DAAs in comparison to HCC not exposed to DAAs. An analytic cross-sectional research was performed at the National Liver Institute which is a tertiary multidisciplinary HCC center. Subjects included hepatitis C virus patients and were allocated into two groups: group I included 2036 HCC cases post-DAA treatment and group II included 6338 HCC cases who did not receive DAAs. Subjects were examined to evaluate clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings. Tumor staging was done using the BCLC staging system. Results Group II showed a more advanced Child–Pugh score, FIB-4 index, and MELD score than Group I (P = 0.001). The multiplicity of hepatic focal lesions was elevated in group I than in group II (P = 0.033). AFP level was significantly elevated in group I than in group II (p = 0.012). Portal vein invasion was significantly elevated in group I than in group II patients (P = 0.001). Extrahepatic spread of HCC was significantly elevated in group I than in group II (P = 0.001). Infiltrative lesions were significantly elevated in group I than in group II (P = 0.002). Conclusion Our study detected that the behavior in HCC post DAAs treatment is more aggressive in respect of the number of lesions, PV invasion; local and distant metastasis, and serum AFP level than in patients unexposed to DAAs. Strict surveillance in cirrhotic patients treated with DAA should be followed according to the international guidelines for early diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

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