Case Reports in Gastroenterology (Jul 2009)

Hepatocellular Carcinoma 11 and a Half Years after the Resolution of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection Successfully Treated with Interferon

  • Naoki Hotta,
  • Minoru Ayada,
  • Akihiko Okumura,
  • Tetsuya Ishikawa,
  • Ken Sato,
  • Tomohiko Oohashi,
  • Yasutaka Hijikata,
  • Shinichi Kakumu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1159/000225244
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 2
pp. 175 – 181

Abstract

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A 41-year-old Japanese man had received successful interferon (IFN) therapy against chronic hepatitis C in 1994. Since then, serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA had been negative, and aminotransferase levels had been continuously normal. He had abstained from alcohol. However, his serum aminotransferase levels showed slight elevation as his body weight increased gradually. He was diagnosed as having fatty liver and diabetes mellitus. In January 2006, 11 and a half years after the resolution of HCV infection, he was found to have a hepatic nodule 4.0 cm in diameter at liver S4/8 region by plain abdominal CT at an annual follow-up examination. He was diagnosed as having hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by angiography. The tumor was curatively resected and its histological diagnosis was moderately differentiated HCC. Noncancerous lesion of the liver revealed fibrosis of stage F2 and mild inflammation of grade A1 with mild steatosis. This case suggests that all patients with chronic HCV infection should be followed as long as possible for the potential development of HCC even after clearance of the virus.

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