Hepatocellular carcinoma risk in patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving tenofovir- vs. entecavir-based regimens: Individual patient data meta-analysis

RBM12 drives PD-L1-mediated immune evasion in hepatocellular carcinoma by increasing JAK1 mRNA translation

Immunosuppression characterizes the tumour microenvironment in HCC, and recent studies have implicated RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in the development of HCC. Here, we conducted a screen and identified RBM12 as a key protein that increased the expression of PD-L1, thereby driving immune evasion in HCC. Furthermore, RBM12 was found to be significantly upregulated in HCC tissues and was associated with a poor prognosis for HCC patients. Through various molecular assays and high-throughput screening, we determined that RBM12 could directly bind to the JAK1 mRNA via its 4th-RRM (RNA recognition motif) domain and recruit EIF4A2 through its 2nd-RRM domain, enhancing the distribution of ribosomes on JAK1 mRNA, which promotes the translation of JAK1 and the subsequent upregulation of its expression. As a result, the activated JAK1/STAT1 pathway transcriptionally upregulates PD-L1 expression, facilitating immune evasion in HCC. In summary, our findings provide insights into the significant contribution of RBM12 to immune evasion in HCC, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target in the future. This graphical abstract shows that elevated expression of RBM12 in HCC can augment PD-L1-mediated tumour immune evasion by increasing the efficiency of JAK1 mRNA translation.

Economic evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance in chronic hepatitis B patients with virological remission

BACKGROUND

Subsequent risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) persists in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with virological remission. We aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of HCC surveillance in those patients and determine appropriate age to commence or discontinue surveillance.

METHODS

We developed an individual-based state transition model, simulating the advancement of HCC in CHB patients with virological remission. We used this model to compare the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and long-term health outcomes of biannual or annual HCC surveillance for varying durations with no surveillance.

RESULTS

For compensated cirrhosis patients with CHB, biannual surveillance was not cost-effective for all age groups, while annual surveillance was cost-effective for patients aged 55 to 70 (ICER USD 28,076 / quality-adjusted life years [QALY] gained), which detected 176 additional early HCC cases in a 100,000-person cohort compared to no surveillance. In CHB patients with advanced fibrosis, annual surveillance for patients aged 40 to 75 was the most cost-effective strategy (ICER USD 4,984/QALY gained), which detected 289 additional early HCC per 100,000 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Annual surveillance for patients with compensated cirrhosis or advanced fibrosis was a more cost-effective option that demonstrated substantial economic benefits, being slightly less effective than biannual surveillance at a significantly lower cost, providing insights for professionals in evaluating HCC surveillance among high-risk patients in China.

Elevated hepatitis B virus RNA levels in HBeAg-positive patients with low-level viraemia or previous low-level viraemia

The understanding of viral transcription and replication activity in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with low-level viraemia (LLV) or previous low-level viraemia (pre-LLV) remains unclear. Our aim was to evaluate and compare circulating hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA levels in these patient groups with those achieving maintained virological response (MVR). This cross-sectional study included 147 patients: 43 in the LLV group, 25 in the pre-LLV group and 79 in the MVR group. Serum HBV RNA levels were assessed using specific RNA target capture combined with simultaneous amplification and testing method. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance baseline characteristics between groups. Median HBV RNA levels were 6.9 copies/mL in the LLV group, 6.1 copies/mL in the pre-LLV group and 3.8 copies/mL in the MVR group. After PSM, significantly higher HBV RNA levels were observed in the LLV group compared to the MVR group (p < .001), and the pre-LLV group also showed higher HBV RNA levels than the MVR group (p < .001). Both LLV and pre-LLV HBeAg-positive CHB patients exhibited elevated circulating HBV RNA levels compared to those achieving MVR.

Tenofovir Is Associated With a Better Prognosis Than Entecavir for Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Whether tenofovir or entecavir has different effects on the prevention of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in secondary and tertiary preventive settings is still a matter of debate. This study aimed to compare the long-term prognosis of HCC between tenofovir and entecavir in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

METHODS

Chronic hepatitis B patients diagnosed with HCC between November 2008 and December 2018 and treated with either entecavir or tenofovir at a tertiary center in Korea were included. The effect of tenofovir compared with entecavir on the prognosis of HBV-related HCC was assessed using multivariable-adjusted Cox and propensity score (PS)-matched analyses. Various predefined subgroup analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up period of 3.0 years, the mortality rate for entecavir-treated patients (n = 3469) was 41.2%, while tenofovir-treated patients (n = 3056) had a mortality rate of 34.6%. Overall survival (OS) was better in the tenofovir group (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.79; P < .001), which were consistently observed in the PS-matched analysis. The magnitude of the risk difference in OS was more prominent 2 years after the diagnosis of HCC (aHR, 0.50; P < .001) than 2 years before (aHR, 0.88; P = .005), and it was more pronounced in patients with earlier HCC stages. In all subgroups, except for those with shorter life expectancy, such as those with compromised liver function, tenofovir was associated with better OS compared with entecavir.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with HBV-related HCC, those treated with tenofovir had a better prognosis than those treated with entecavir, particularly among those with prolonged survival.

A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the impact of tenofovir and entecavir on the prognosis of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing liver resection

Background

Tenofovir (TDF) and entecavir (ETV) are highly effective and well-tolerated nucleos(t)ide analogs commonly prescribed for hepatitis B virus (HBV) treatment. Yet, it is unclear whether survival outcomes differ for HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with ETV and TDF. Thus, this meta-analysis aimed to compare the prognostic effectiveness of ETV and TDF in HBV-related HCC patients.

Methods

We comprehensively searched four databases, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, to identify pertinent studies utilizing keywords "entecavir," "tenofovir," "hepatocellular carcinoma," and "liver resection." Our primary outcomes of interest encompassed overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), early recurrence, and late recurrence. The statistical effect size for these measures was expressed in terms of hazard ratios (HRs).

Results

Our search yielded 10 studies encompassing 11 datasets involving 7,400 patients. Our meta-analysis revealed that patients treated with TDF achieved better OS (HR = 0.53; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.40-0.70, p < 0.0001), RFS (HR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.57-0.80; p < 0.0001), early recurrence (HR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.67-0.94; p < 0.0077), and late recurrence (HR = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.43-0.97; p = 0.0368). We detected publication bias potentially affecting OS but not RFS.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrated that TDF outperformed ETV regarding RFS for HBV-related HCC patients. However, to bolster the evidence and establish more conclusive conclusions, further validation via extensive and high-quality randomized controlled trials is essential.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#recordDetails, identifier CRD 42024542579.

Current trends and advances in antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B

ABSTRACT

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global public health concern. Existing antiviral drugs, including nucleos(t)ide analogs and interferon-α, can suppress HBV replication and improve the prognosis. However, the persistence of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), the integration of HBV-DNA into the host genome, and compromised immune responses impede the successful treatment of hepatitis B. While achieving a functional cure of HBV remains elusive with the current treatment methods, this is the goal of new therapeutic approaches. Therefore, developing novel antiviral drugs is necessary for achieving a functional or complete cure for chronic hepatitis B. In recent years, substantial progress has been made in drug discovery and development for HBV infection. Direct-acting antiviral agents such as entry inhibitors, capsid assembly modulators, subviral particle release inhibitors, cccDNA silencers, and RNA interference molecules have entered clinical trials. In addition, several immunomodulatory agents, including toll-like receptor agonists, therapeutic vaccines, checkpoint inhibitors, and monoclonal antibodies, are also making their way toward clinical use. In this review, we summarize the recent progress and limitations of chronic hepatitis B treatment and discuss perspectives on approaches to achieving functional cure. Although it will take some time for these new antiviral drugs to be widely used in clinical practice, combination therapy may become a preferable treatment option in the future.

A Territory-wide Study Investigating the Dose and Efficacy of Different Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Strains in Patients with Intermediate- and High-risk Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer

BACKGROUND

Current European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines support adjuvant intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment after Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor (TURB) for intermediate- or high-risk Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) patients, aiming to reduce the risk of tumor recurrence. The quality of data, however, does not allow definitive conclusions on whether different strains and dosages of BCG have different efficacies on long-term survival outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the long-term survival outcomes of different strains and dosages of BCG in patients with NMIBC.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

All NMIBC patients treated with intravesical BCG therapy from 2001 to 2020 were identified using a territory-wide database in Hong Kong.

INTERVENTION

BCG strains and dosages (Connaught strain 81 mg, Connaught strain 27 mg, Tokyo strain 80 mg, and Danish strain 30 mg) were retrieved from medical records.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Overall Survival (OS), Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS), Recurrence-Free Survival (RFS), and Progression-Free Survival (PFS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. A multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to adjust potential confounding factors, and to estimate Hazard Ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of different BCG strains. A further subgroup analysis on adequate versus inadequate BCG treatment was performed.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

A total of 2602 NMIBC patients treated with intravesical BCG were identified. Among them, 1291 (49.6%) received Connaught strain 81 mg, 199 (7.6%) received Connaught strain 27 mg, 1014 (39.0%) received Tokyo strain, and 98 (3.8%) received Danish strain. The median follow-up was 11.0 years. No statistically significant differences in OS, CSS, RFS, and PFS were detected among the different groups. At the multivariable analysis, the Connaught strain 27 mg group was inferior to the Connaught strain 81 mg group in terms of OS (HR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.05-1.51), CSS (HR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.08-2.66), and PFS (HR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.20-2.88). Adequate BCG treatment was associated with improved OS (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.73-0.92), CSS (HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.47-0.86), RFS (HR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.70-0.92), and PFS (HR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.39-0.68). Among patients treated with adequate BCG, at the multivariable analysis the Connaught strain 27 mg group showed worse results than the Connaught strain 81 mg group in terms of CSS (HR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.07-3.51). Compared with the Connaught strain 81 mg group, both Tokyo and Danish strains had similar survival outcomes in the whole cohort and the adequate BCG treatment subgroup.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that adequate BCG remains the most important factor in optimizing survival outcomes in patients with intermediate- and high-risk NMIBC. No significant differences in survival outcomes were observed between full-dose Connaught, Tokyo, and Danish strains. Reduced-dose Connaught strain was associated with the worst survival outcomes.

PATIENT SUMMARY

We evaluated the efficacy of different strains and dosages of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in patients with intermediate- or high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer in the past two decades in Hong Kong. We conclude no significant differences in long-term survival outcomes in terms of full-dose Connaught, Tokyo, and Danish strains, while reduced-dose Connaught strain was inferior to the full-dose group. Adequate BCG treatment benefits long-term survival.

Mortality in patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with tenofovir or entecavir: A multinational study

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The benefits of entecavir (ETV) versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in reducing the development of chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-related hepatocellular carcinoma remain controversial. Whether mortality rates differ between patients with CHB treated with ETV and those treated with TDF is unclear.

METHODS

A total of 2542 patients with CHB treated with either ETV or TDF were recruited from a multinational cohort. A 1:1 propensity score matching was performed to balance the differences in baseline characteristics between the two patient groups. We aimed to compare the all-cause, liver-related, and non-liver-related mortality between patients receiving ETV and those receiving TDF.

RESULTS

The annual incidence of all-cause mortality in the entire cohort was 1.0/100 person-years (follow-up, 15 757.5 person-years). Patients who received TDF were younger and had a higher body mass index, platelet count, hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid levels, and proportion of hepatitis B e-antigen seropositivity than those who received ETV. The factors associated with all-cause mortality were fibrosis-4 index > 6.5 (hazard ratio [HR]/confidence interval [CI]: 3.13/2.15-4.54, P < 0.001), age per year increase (HR/CI: 1.05/1.04-1.07, P < 0.001), alanine aminotransferase level per U/L increase (HR/CI: 0.997/0.996-0.999, P = 0.003), and γ-glutamyl transferase level per U/L increase (HR/CI: 1.002/1.001-1.003, P < 0.001). No significant difference in all-cause mortality was observed between the ETV and TDF groups (log-rank test, P = 0.69). After propensity score matching, no significant differences in all-cause, liver-related, or non-liver-related mortality were observed between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term outcomes of all-cause mortality and liver-related and non-liver-related mortality did not differ between patients treated with ETV and those receiving TDF.

The Role of Hepatitis Viruses as Drivers of Hepatocancerogenesis

Recently, metabolic associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) became the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide and one of the most frequent causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nonetheless, in this epidemiological trend, viral hepatitis remains the major driver in hepatic carcinogenesis. Globally, hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma, with an overall attributable risk of approximately 40%, followed by hepatitis C virus (HCV), which accounts for 28-30% of cases, with significant geographic variations between the Eastern and Western world. Considering all the etiologies, HCC risk increases proportionally with the progression of liver disease, but the risk is consistently higher in patients with viral triggers. This evidence indicates that both direct (due to the oncogenic properties of the viruses) and indirect (through the mechanisms of chronic inflammation that lead to cirrhosis) mechanisms are involved, alongside the presence of co-factors contributing to liver damage (smoking, alcohol, and metabolic factors) that synergistically enhance the oncogenic process. The aim of this review is to analyze the oncogenic role of hepatitis viruses in the liver, evaluating epidemiological changes and direct and indirect viral mechanisms that lead to liver cancer.

Merits and boundaries of the BCLC staging and treatment algorithm: Learning from the past to improve the future with a novel proposal

In this Expert Opinion, we thoroughly analyse the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging and treatment algorithm for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that, since 1999, has standardised HCC management, offering a structured approach for the prognostic evaluation and treatment of patients with HCC. The first part of the article presents the strengths and evolutionary improvements of the BCLC staging system. Nevertheless, both patient characteristics and available treatments have changed in the last two decades, limiting the role of the BCLC criteria for treatment allocation in a growing number of patients. As therapeutic options expand and become more effective, the stage-linked treatment decision-making algorithm may lead to undertreatment and suboptimal outcomes for patients with disease beyond early-stage HCC. Consequently, strict adherence to BCLC criteria is limited in expert centres, particularly for patients diagnosed beyond early-stage HCC. Although the BCLC system remains the benchmark against which other therapeutic frameworks must be judged, the era of precision medicine calls for patient-tailored therapeutic decision-making (by a multidisciplinary tumour board) rather than stage-dictated treatment allocation. Acknowledging this conceptual difference in clinical management, the second part of the article describes a novel "multiparametric therapeutic hierarchy", which integrates a comprehensive assessment of clinical factors, biomarkers, technical feasibility, and resource availability. Lastly, considering the increasing efficacy of locoregional and systemic treatments, the concept of "converse therapeutic hierarchy" is introduced. These treatments can increase the feasibility (conversion approach) and effectiveness (adjuvant approach of systemic therapy) of potentially curative approaches to greatly improve clinical outcomes.

Prevention in Hepatology

The prevention of liver disease has improved significantly in the last few decades, to the point that it can now be considered a true success story. The wide variety of interventions, including comprehensive vaccination strategies, novel medications, lifestyle changes, and even preventive surgeries, have reduced the morbidity and mortality of chronic liver diseases. However, the prevalence of chronic liver diseases is increasing worldwide. Currently, fatty liver disease alone is estimated to be present in as much as 30% of the adult population. Furthermore, there is a trend towards increasing incidences of chronic hepatitis B, and a global lack of success in efforts to eliminate chronic hepatitis C. Thus, improving and efficiently rolling out existing and successful prevention strategies for chronic liver diseases will play an essential role in healthcare throughout the upcoming decades. In this review, we summarize the current options and concepts for preventing chronic liver diseases, highlight their limitations, and provide an outlook on probable future developments to improve awareness, integrated care, and the analysis of big data.

Entecavir versus tenofovir for prevention of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma after curative resection: study protocol for a randomized, open-label trial

BACKGROUND

Entecavir and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) are standard first-line treatments to prevent viral reactivation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in individuals chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), but the long-term efficacy of the two drugs remains controversial. Also unclear is whether the drugs are effective at preventing viral reactivation or HCC recurrence after hepatectomy to treat HBV-associated HCC. This trial will compare recurrence-free survival, overall survival, viral indicators and adverse events in the long term between patients with HBV-associated HCC who receive entecavir or TDF after curative resection.

METHODS

This study is a randomized, open-label trial. A total of 240 participants will be randomized 1:1 into groups receiving TDF or entecavir monotherapy. The two groups will be compared in terms of recurrence-free and overall survival at 1, 3, and 5 years after surgery; adverse events; virological response; rate of alanine transaminase normalization; and seroreactivity at 24 and 48 weeks after surgery.

DISCUSSION

This study will compare long-term survival between patients with HBV-associated HCC who receive TDF or entecavir monotherapy. Numerous outcomes related to prognosis will be analyzed and compared in this study.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02650271. Registered on January 7, 2016.

Enhanced prognosis of HCC patients undergoing radical treatments with tenofovir versus entecavir: A meta-analysis based on propensity score matching studies

The selection of postoperative antiviral therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with HBV infection undergoing radical treatments (HPHR) is a topic of ongoing debate and controversy. The primary aim of this study was to compare the prognostic impact of selecting entecavir (ETV) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) as antiviral therapy options in HPHR. All the studies included in this analysis were implemented propensity score matching (PSM) methodology. Meta-analysis was performed using R statistical software (version 4.3.0). The primary outcome measures, overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS), were quantified using hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). This study analyzed 13 studies involving 6961 patients (2394 in the TDF group and 4567 in the ETV group). We conducted a meta-analysis of 8 studies that included a total of 5289 patients using the PSM analysis method. In comparison to the ETV group, the TDF group demonstrated significantly better RFS (HR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.70-0.93; p = 0.0034) and OS (HR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.42-0.88; p = 0.0085). Furthermore, the disparity between the two drugs was particularly evident in the prognosis of patients undergoing hepatectomy. Regional disparities were observed, with mainland China studies favoring RFS benefits and Taiwan or Korea studies favoring OS benefits. In conclusion, TDF has demonstrated significant superiority over ETV in terms of RFS and OS outcomes for HPHR. The findings hold significant implications for informing clinical decision-making and guiding the selection of postoperative antiviral therapy drugs in HCC patients.

Nucleos(t)ide analogs for hepatitis B virus infection differentially regulate the growth factor signaling in hepatocytes

BACKGROUND

Recent clinical studies have suggested that the risk of developing HCC might be lower in patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving tenofovir disoproxil fumarate than in patients receiving entecavir, although there is no difference in biochemical and virological remission between the 2 drugs.

METHODS

The effects of nucleoside analogs (NsAs; lamivudine and entecavir) or nucleotide analogs (NtAs; adefovir disoproxil, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and tenofovir alafenamide) on cell growth and the expression of growth signaling molecules in hepatoma cell lines and PXB cells were investigated in vitro. The tumor inhibitory effects of NsAs or NtAs were evaluated using a mouse xenograft model, and protein phosphorylation profiles were investigated. The binding of NsAs or NtAs to the insulin receptor (INSR) was investigated by thermal shift assays.

RESULTS

NtAs, but not NsAs, showed direct growth inhibitory effects on hepatoma cell lines in vitro and a mouse model in vivo. A phosphoprotein array revealed that INSR signaling was impaired and the levels of phosphorylated (p)-INSRβ and downstream molecules phosphorylated (p)-IRS1, p-AKT, p-Gab1, and p-SHP2 were substantially reduced by NtAs. In addition, p-epidermal growth factor receptor and p-AKT levels were substantially reduced by NtAs. Similar findings were also found in PXB cells and nontumor lesions of liver tissues from patients with chronic hepatitis B. Prodrug NtAs, but not their metabolites (adefovir, adefovir monophosphate, adefovir diphosphate, tenofovir, tenofovir monophosphate, and tenofovir diphosphate), had such effects. A thermal shift assay showed the binding of NtAs to INSRβ.

CONCLUSIONS

NtAs (adefovir disoproxil, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and tenofovir alafenamide), which are adenine derivative acyclic nucleotide analogs, potentially bind to the ATP-binding site of growth factor receptors and inhibit their autophosphorylation, which might reduce the risk of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Biomarkers predicting the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma

In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a transformative approach in treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite their success, challenges persist, including concerns about their effectiveness, treatment costs, frequent occurrence of treatment-related adverse events, and tumor hyperprogression. Therefore, it is imperative to identify indicators capable of predicting the efficacy of ICIs treatment, enabling optimal patient selection to maximize clinical benefits while minimizing unnecessary toxic side effects and economic losses. This review paper categorizes prognostic biomarkers of ICIs treatment into the following categories: biochemical and cytological indicators, tumor-related markers, imaging and personal features, etiology, gut microbiome, and immune-related adverse events (irAEs). By organizing these indicators systematically, we aim to guide biomarker exploration and inform clinical treatment decisions.

Entecavir versus tenofovir on the recurrence of hepatitis B-related HCC after liver transplantation: A multicenter observational study

Considerable controversy exists regarding the superiority of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) over entecavir (ETV) for reducing the risk of HCC. This study aimed to compare outcomes of ETV versus TDF after liver transplantation (LT) in patients with HBV-related HCC. We performed a multicenter observational study using data from the Korean Organ Transplantation Registry. A total of 845 patients who underwent LT for HBV-related HCC were divided into 2 groups according to oral nucleos(t)ide analogue used for HBV prophylaxis post-LT: ETV group (n = 393) and TDF group (n = 452). HCC recurrence and overall death were compared in naïve and propensity score (PS)-weighted populations, and the likelihood of these outcomes according to the use of ETV or TDF were analyzed with various Cox models. At 1, 3, and 5 years, the ETV and TDF groups had similar HCC recurrence-free survival (90.7%, 85.6%, and 84.1% vs. 90.9%, 84.6%, and 84.2%, respectively, p = 0.98) and overall survival (98.4%, 94.7%, and 93.5% vs. 99.3%, 95.8%, and 94.9%, respectively, p = 0.48). The propensity score-weighted population showed similar results. In Cox models involving covariates adjustment, propensity score-weighting, competing risk regression, and time-dependent covariates adjustment, both groups showed a similar risk of HCC recurrence and overall death. In subgroup analyses stratified according to HCC burden (Milan criteria, Up-to-7 criteria, French alpha-fetoprotein risk score), pretransplantation locoregional therapy, and salvage LT, neither ETV nor TDF was superior. In conclusion, ETV and TDF showed mutual noninferiority for HCC outcomes when used for HBV prophylaxis after LT.

Are the New Nucleos(t)ide Analogs Better than the Old Nucleos(t)ide Analogs?

In treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, entecavir (ETV), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), and tenofovir alafenamide have a minimal or no risk of drug-resistance. These 3 nucleos(t)ide analog agents are highly potent inducing high rate of virologic response (reducing serum HBV DNA to levels undetectable by polymerase chain reaction assays) in most treatment-naïve patients. Our randomized trials have demonstrated that monotherapy with TDF can provide a successful virological response in most of the heavily pretreated patients with multidrug resistance to ETV or adefovir.

Letter: Association between aspirin use and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis B

This article is linked to Lee et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17643 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17711

Letter: Entecavir versus tenofovir on serum lipoprotein levels of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma after curative hepatectomy

This article is linked to Ogawa et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17107 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17693.

Past, present, and future of long-term treatment for hepatitis B virus

The estimated world prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is 316 million. HBV infection was identified in 1963 and nowadays is a major cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) despite universal vaccination programs, and effective antiviral therapy. Long-term administration of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA) has been the treatment of choice for chronic hepatitis B during the last decades. The NA has shown a good safety profile and high efficacy in controlling viral replication, improving histology, and decreasing the HCC incidence, decompensation, and mortality. However, the low probability of HBV surface antigen seroclearance made necessary an indefinite treatment. The knowledge, in recent years, about the different phases of the viral cycle, and the new insights into the role of the immune system have yielded an increase in new therapeutic approaches. Consequently, several clinical trials evaluating combinations of new drugs with different mechanisms of action are ongoing with promising results. This integrative literature review aims to assess the knowledge and major advances from the past of hepatitis B, the present of NA treatment and withdrawal, and the future perspectives with combined molecules to achieve a functional cure.

Personalised management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a multiparametric therapeutic hierarchy concept

Advances in the surgical and systemic therapeutic landscape of hepatocellular carcinoma have increased the complexity of patient management. A dynamic adaptation of the available staging-based algorithms is required to allow flexible therapeutic allocation. In particular, real-world hepatocellular carcinoma management increasingly relies on factors independent of oncological staging, including patients' frailty, comorbid burden, critical tumour location, multiple liver functional parameters, and specific technical contraindications impacting the delivery of treatment and resource availability. In this Policy Review we critically appraise how treatment allocation strictly based on pretreatment staging features has shifted towards a more personalised treatment approach, in which expert tumour boards assume a central role. We propose an evidence-based framework for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment based on the novel concept of multiparametric therapeutic hierarchy, in which different therapeutic options are ordered according to their survival benefit (ie, from surgery to systemic therapy). Moreover, we introduce the concept of converse therapeutic hierarchy, in which therapies are ordered according to their conversion abilities or adjuvant abilities (ie, from systemic therapy to surgery).