Role of ethnicity in risk for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C and cirrhosis

Mechanistic Insights on Microbiota-Mediated Development and Progression of Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and its two major types, esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), present a severe global public health problem with an increasing incidence and mortality. Established risk factors include smoking, alcohol consumption, and dietary habits, but recent research has highlighted the substantial role of oral microbiota in EC pathogenesis. This review explores the intricate relationship between the microbiome and esophageal carcinogenesis, focusing on the following eight significant mechanisms: chronic inflammation, microbial dysbiosis, production of carcinogenic metabolites, direct interaction with epithelial cells, epigenetic modifications, interaction with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), metabolic changes, and angiogenesis. Certain harmful bacteria, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, are specifically implicated in sustaining irritation and tumor progression through pathways including NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome. Additionally, the review explores how microbial byproducts, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), contribute to DNA harm and disease advancement. Furthermore, the impact of reflux on microbiota composition and its role in esophageal carcinogenesis is evaluated. By combining epidemiological data with mechanistic understanding, this review underscores the potential to target the microbiota-immune system interplay for novel therapeutic and diagnostic strategies to prevent and treat esophageal cancer.

Racial Disparities in Treatment and Outcomes of Patients With Hepatitis C Undergoing Elective Total Joint Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

African Americans have the highest prevalence of chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Racial disparities in outcome are observed after elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This study sought to identify if disparities in treatments and outcomes exist between Black and White patients who have HCV prior to elective THA and TKA.

METHODS

Patient demographics, comorbidities, HCV characteristics, perioperative variables, in-hospital outcomes, and postoperative complications at 1-year follow-up were collected and compared between the 2 races. Patients who have preoperative positive viral load (PVL) and undetectable viral load were identified. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare categorical variables, while 2-tailed Student's Kruskal-Wallis t-tests were used for continuous variables. A P value of less than .05 was statistically significant.

RESULTS

The liver function parameters, including aspartate aminotransferase and model for end-stage liver disease scores, were all higher preoperatively in Black patients undergoing THA (P = .01; P < .001) and TKA (P = .03; P = .003), respectively. Black patients were more likely to undergo THA (65.8% versus 35.6%; P = .002) and TKA (72.1% versus 37.3%; 0.009) without receiving prior treatment for HCV. Consequently, Black patients had higher rates of preoperative PVL compared to White patients in both THA (66% versus 38%, P = .006) and TKA (72% versus 37%, P < .001) groups. Black patients had a longer length of stay for both THA (3.7 versus 3.3; P = .008) and TKA (4.1 versus 3.0; P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

The HCV treatment prior to THA and TKA with undetectable viral load has been shown to be a key factor in mitigating postoperative complications, including joint infection. We noted that Black patients were more likely to undergo joint arthroplasty who did not receive treatment and with a PVL. While PVL rates decreased over time for both races, a significant gap persists for Black patients.

Evaluation of patients treated with direct-acting anti-viral therapy for chronic hepatitis C and their risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND & AIM

To evaluate the risk of early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in Hong Kong, as it has not been studied before in this locality.

METHODS

Three hundred thirty-three consecutive chronic hepatitis C patients treated with DAAs from two hospitals over the past 6 years were identified. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate cumulative HCC incidence. Cox regression was used to identify factors associated with HCC development.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 23.4 months after DAA started, 15 (5.4%, 95% CI 3.3-8.7%) out of 279 total included patients developed HCC. The overall sustained virological response (SVR) rate was 98.9%. The 1-year cumulative incidence for de-novo HCC and HCC recurrence were 0.8 and 30.9%, respectively (log-rank test p < 0.001). The 1-year cumulative HCC incidence for patients without and with cirrhosis were 0.7 and 5.1%, respectively (log-rank test p = 0.036). Univariate analysis showed that significant factors associated with HCC after DAA were: history of treated HCC, cirrhosis, evidence of portal hypertension, higher AFP at the start or end of DAA therapy, higher bilirubin, lower platelets, lower albumin, and older age. From receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cut-off level of AFP for predicting HCC was 10.5 ng/mL at the start and 5.6 ng/mL at the end of DAA therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of early HCC recurrence remains high despite achieving SVR following DAA therapy, whereas the risk of early de-novo HCC occurence is low. AFP levels, both at the start and end of DAA therapy, can be useful in stratifying risks of HCC development.

Associations of Race and Ethnicity with Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Decompensation, and Mortality in US Veterans with Cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

Among patients with cirrhosis, it remains unclear whether there are racial/ethnic differences in cirrhosis complications and mortality. We examined the associations between race/ethnicity and risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cirrhosis decompensation, and all-cause mortality overall and by cirrhosis etiology.

METHODS

US Veterans diagnosed with cirrhosis from 2001 to 2014 (n = 120,992), due to hepatitis C virus (HCV; n = 55,814), alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD; n = 36,323), hepatitis B virus (HBV; n = 1,972), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD; n = 17,789), or other (n = 9,094), were followed through 2020 for incident HCC (n = 10,242), cirrhosis decompensation (n = 27,887), and mortality (n = 81,441). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Compared with non-Hispanic White patients, Hispanic patients had higher risk for HCC overall (aHR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.24-1.41) and by cirrhosis etiology, particularly for ALD- (aHR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.42-1.87) and NAFLD-cirrhosis (aHR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.41-2.20), whereas non-Hispanic Black patients had lower HCC risk in ALD- (aHR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.98) and NAFLD-cirrhosis (aHR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.33-0.89). Asian patients had higher HCC risk (aHR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.29-2.23), driven by HCV- and HBV-cirrhosis. Non-Hispanic Black patients had lower risk for cirrhosis decompensation overall (aHR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.68-0.74) and by cirrhosis etiology. There was lower risk for mortality among all other racial/ethnic groups compared with non-Hispanic White patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Race/ethnicity is an important predictor for risk of developing HCC, decompensation, and mortality.

IMPACT

Future research should examine factors underlying these racial/ethnic differences to inform prevention, screening, and treatment for patients with cirrhosis.

Updated epidemiology of gastrointestinal cancers in East Asia

Globally, gastrointestinal cancers represent more than one-fourth of all cancer incidence and one-third of cancer-related mortality. Although there has been much progress in screening colorectal cancer, the prognosis of other gastrointestinal cancers tends to be poor. The highest burden of gastrointestinal cancers, including stomach, liver, oesophageal and gallbladder cancers, was observed in regions in East Asia. The increasing burden of gastrointestinal cancers in East Asian regions is related to population growth, ageing and the westernization of lifestyle habits in this region. Furthermore, the rising incidence of young-onset colorectal cancer is an emerging trend in East Asia. This Review provides a comprehensive and updated summary of the epidemiology of gastrointestinal cancers in East Asia, with emphasis on comparing their epidemiology in East Asia with that in Western regions, and highlights the major risk factors and implications for prevention. Overall, to optimally reduce the disease burden incurred by gastrointestinal cancers in East Asian regions, a concerted effort will be needed to modify unhealthy lifestyles, promote vaccination against the hepatitis virus, control Helicobacter pylori, liver fluke and hepatitis virus infections, increase the uptake rate of colorectal cancer screening, enhance detection of early cancers and their precursors, and improve cancer survivorship through an organized rehabilitation programme.

Efficacy of a Primary Care-Based Mobile Application to Increase Hepatitis C Screening Among Asian Americans: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Background

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening remains suboptimal. We assessed the efficacy of a mobile application and provider alert in enhancing HCV screening among Asian Americans.

Methods

A secondary analysis of a cluster-randomized clinical trial was performed during the birth cohort screening era to assess the efficacy of a Hepatitis App (intervention), a multilingual mobile application delivering interactive video education on viral hepatitis and creating a Provider Alert printout, at primary care clinics within 2 healthcare systems in San Francisco from 2015 to 2017. A comparison group received usual care and a similar intervention on nutrition and physical activity. The outcome was electronic health record (EHR) documentation of HCV screening along with patient-provider communication about testing and test ordering.

Results

Four hundred fifty-two participants (mean age 57 years, 36% male, 80% foreign-born) were randomized by provider clusters to the intervention (n = 270) or comparison groups (n = 182). At 3-month follow up, the intervention group was more likely than the comparison group to be aware of HCV (75% vs 59%, P = .006), to discuss HCV testing with their providers (63% vs 13%, P < .001), to have HCV testing ordered (39% vs 10%, P < .001), and to have EHR-verified HCV testing (30% vs 6%, P < .001). Within the intervention group, being born between 1945 and 1965 (odds ratio, 3.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-7.32) was associated with increased HCV testing.

Conclusions

The Hepatitis App delivered in primary care settings was effective in increasing HCV screening in a socioeconomically diverse Asian American cohort. This highlights the importance of mobile technology as a patient-centered strategy to address gaps in HCV care.

Ethnoracial Disparity in Hospital Survival following Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Creation for Acute Variceal Bleeding in the United States

PURPOSE

To investigate the magnitude of racial/ethnic differences in hospital mortality after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation for acute variceal bleeding and whether hospital care processes contribute to them.

METHODS

Patients aged ≥18 years undergoing TIPS creation for acute variceal bleeding in the United States (n = 10,331) were identified from 10 years (2007-2016) available in the National Inpatient Sample. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between patient race and inpatient mortality, controlling for disease severity, treatment utilization, and hospital characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 6,350 (62%) patients were White, 1,780 (17%) were Hispanic, and 482 (5%) were Black. A greater proportion of Black patients were admitted to urban teaching hospitals (Black, n = 409 (85%); Hispanic, n = 1,310 (74%); and White, n = 4,802 (76%); P < .001) and liver transplant centers (Black, n = 215 (45%); Hispanic, n = 401 (23%); and White, n = 2,267 (36%); P < .001). Being Black was strongly associated with mortality (Black, 32% vs non-Black, 15%; odds ratio, 3.0 [95% confidence interval, 1.6-5.8]; P = .001), as assessed using the risk-adjusted regression model. This racial disparity disappeared in a sensitivity analysis including only patients with a maximum Child-Pugh score of 13 (odds ratio 1.2 [95% confidence interval, 0.4-3.6]; P = .68), performed to compensate for the absence of Model for End-stage Liver Disease scores. Ethnoracial differences in access to teaching hospitals, liver transplant centers, first-line endoscopy, and transfusion did not significantly contribute (P > .05) to risk-adjusted mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Black patients have a 2-fold higher inpatient mortality than non-Black patients following TIPS creation for acute variceal bleeding, possibly related to greater disease severity before the procedure.

Comparison of the Prognosis of Decompensated Cirrhosis in Patients with and Without Eradication of Hepatitis C Virus

Introduction

In patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and decompensated cirrhosis (DC), it is uncertain whether viral clearance is clinically meaningful and whether it decreases liver-related and non-liver-related mortality. The aim of this study was to assess whether viral eradication reduced liver-related and non-liver-related mortality in patients with HCV infection and DC.

Methods

To clarify the impact of viral eradication on liver-related and non-liver-related mortality, 364 patients with DC who received direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and achieved sustained virological response (SVR) in the UK (DAA group) were compared with 249 patients with DC who did not receive DAAs and who underwent symptomatic treatment in Japan (non-DAA group). Propensity score matching and inverse probability weighting (IPW) were performed to adjust the baseline characteristics in the DAA and non-DAA groups. Liver-related and non-liver-related mortality were analyzed using the competing risks IPW cumulative incidence functions estimator.

Results

The cumulative all-cause mortality rate in the DAA group was significantly lower than that in the non-DAA group (p < 0.0001, IPW-adjusted log-rank test). The cumulative incidence rates of both liver-related and non-liver-related mortality were significantly lower in the DAA group than those in the non-DAA group (p < 0.0001 for both).

Conclusion

DAA-mediated viral eradication reduced not only liver-related mortality but also non-liver-related mortality in patients with HCV infection and DC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40121-021-00441-7.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence after Hepatitis C Virus Therapy with Direct-Acting Antivirals. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with cirrhosis. The risk of HCC recurrence after a complete response among patients treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has not been fully elucidated yet.

AIM

To assess the risk of HCC recurrence after DAA therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV).

METHODS

A systematic review across PubMed, Scopus and Scholar up to November 2020, including full-text studies that assessed the pattern of HCC recurrence after DAA therapy for HCV. Random-effect meta-analysis and univariable metaregression were applied to obtain pooled estimates for proportions and relative risk (RR) and variables influential for the outcome, respectively.

RESULTS

Thirty-one studies with 2957 patients were included. Overall, 30% (CI, 26-34%) of the patients with a history of HCC experienced HCC recurrence after DAA therapy, at mean time intervals ranging from 4 to 21 months. This result increased when going from European studies (23%, CI, 17-28%) to US studies (34%, CI, 30-38%), to Egyptian studies (37%, CI, 27-47%), and to Asian studies (33%, CI, 27-40%). Sixty-eight percent (CI, 45-91%) of recurrent HCCs developed within 6 months of follow-up since DAA treatment, among the eight studies providing stratified data. Among the studies providing head-to-head comparisons, the HCC recurrence risk was significantly lower after DAA therapy than IFN (RR, 0.64; CI, 0.51-0.81), and after DAA therapy than no intervention (RR, 0.68; CI, 0.49-0.94).

CONCLUSIONS

The recurrence of HCC after DAA is not negligible, being higher soon after the end of treatment and among non-European countries. DAA therapy seems to reduce the risk of HCC recurrence compared to an IFN regimen and no intervention.

Sex Discrepancies in the Protective Effect of Opioid Agonist Therapy on Incident Hepatitis C Infection

BACKGROUND

While opioid agonist therapy (OAT) reduces the risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) acquisition among people who inject drugs (PWID), protective effects may be attenuated in females. We used pooled data from an international collaboration of prospective cohorts to assess sex disparities in HCV incidence among PWID exposed to OAT.

METHODS

Independent predictors of HCV infection were identified using Cox regression models with random effects after accounting for the clustering effect of study sites. Unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are presented in sex-specific analyses.

RESULTS

Among 701 participants exposed to OAT, HCV incidence was 16.5/100 person-years of observation (PYO) (95% CI, 13.1-20.7) in females and 7.6/100 PYO (95% CI, 6.0-9.5) in males (female:male adjusted HR [aHR], 1.80 [95% CI, 1.37-2.22]; P < .001). Factors associated with HCV acquisition among females exposed to OAT included nonwhite race (aHR, 1.79 [95% CI, 1.25-2.56]; P = .001), unstable housing (aHR, 4.00 [95% CI, 3.62-4.41]; P < .001), daily or more frequent injection (aHR, 1.45 [95% CI, 1.01-2.08]; P = .042), and receptive syringe sharing (aHR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.33-1.53]; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Female PWID exposed to OAT are twice as likely as their male counterparts to acquire HCV. While there is a need for better understanding of sex differences in immune function and opioid pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters, structural and behavioral interventions that target women are required to bolster the efficacy of OAT in preventing HCV transmission.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Oman: An analysis of 284 cases

Objectives

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver tumour worldwide and is increasing in incidence. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of HCC among Omani patients, along with its major risk factors, outcomes and the role of surveillance.

Methods

This retrospective case-series study was conducted between January 2008 and December 2015 at the three main tertiary care hospitals in Oman. All adult Omani patients diagnosed with HCC and visited these hospitals during the study period were included. Relevant data were collected from the patients’ electronic medical records.

Results

A total of 284 HCC patients were included in the analysis. The mean age was 61.02 ± 11.41 years and 67.6% were male. The majority had liver cirrhosis (79.9%), with the most common aetiologies being chronic hepatitis C (46.5%) and B (43.2%). Only 13.7% of cases were detected by the HCC surveillance programme. Approximately half of the patients (48.5%) had a single liver lesion and 31.9% had a liver tumour of >5 cm in size. Approximately half (49.2%) had alpha-fetoprotein levels of ≥200 ng/mL. The majority (72.5%) were diagnosed using multiphase computed tomography alone. Less than half of the patients (48.9%) were offered one or more HCC treatment modalities.

Conclusion

The majority of Omani HCC patients were male and had cirrhosis due to viral hepatitis. In addition, few patients were identified by the national surveillance programme and presented with advanced disease precluding therapeutic or even palliative treatment.

Comparing the Prognosis of Patient with Alcohol and Nonalcohol-Associated Cirrhosis with Bacteremia

Aims

Patients with liver cirrhosis are more susceptible to bacteremia and more likely to have a poor prognosis in comparison to healthy individuals. Studies on the role of alcohol in cirrhotic patients with bacteremia are limited. Our study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and prognostic differences between the patients with alcohol and non-alcohol-associated cirrhosis with bacteremia.

Methods

A single-center, retrospective cohort study was conducted among adult patients who presented to the emergency department from January 2015 to December 2018. All patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and bacteremia were enrolled and divided into alcohol-associated and non-alcohol-associated groups according to the etiology of their cirrhosis. We compared their clinical characteristics, laboratory results, microbiological data, and infection source as well as outcome measurements between the two groups.

Results

A total of 112 cirrhotic patients with bacteremia (alcohol-associated: 67; non-alcohol-associated: 45) were eligible for this study. In comparison with the non-alcohol-associated group, patients in the alcohol-associated group had a significantly higher rate of intensive care unit transfer (41.8% vs. 22.2%, P = 0.04), septic shock occurrence (56.7% vs. 35.6%, P = 0.04) and 30-day mortality risk (37.3% vs. 15.6%, P = 0.02). Moreover, alcohol-associated cirrhosis and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score were independent predictors of 30-day mortality in cirrhotic patients with bacteremia.

Conclusions

The etiology of liver cirrhosis influences the outcomes of patients with bacteremia as well as the severity of their cirrhosis.

Alpha-fetoprotein level to total tumor volume as a predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after resection. A retrospective cohort study

Background

Total tumor volume (TTV) and serum alfa fetoprotein (AFP) level are important risk factors linked with the high possibility of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence. The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of AFP/TTV ratio, as a prognostic marker, in the prediction of HCC recurrence after resection.

Methods

Patients who underwent liver resection for HCC between 2010 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into 2 groups; a group with AFP/TTV ≤2 and another group with AFP/TTV >2. Risk factors for HCC recurrence were recorded.

Results

A total of 286 HCC patients underwent liver resection (184 patients with AFP/TTV ≤ 2, and 102 patients with AFP/TTV > 2). There was a significant difference between the 2 groups in the preoperative total bilirubin level, serum AFP level, mean tumor diameter, TTV, operative blood loss, microvascular invasion and hospital stay (all P values < 0.05). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year tumor recurrence rates were 24.1%, 43%, and 57.6% respectively. The independent risk factors for tumor recurrence were AFP/TTV >2 (HR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.29–1.98, P = 0.042), Macrovascular invasion (HR = 2.03, 95% CI = 2.17–2.38, P = 0.021, and microvascular invasion (HR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.08–1.77, P = 0.019).

Conclusion

AFP/TTV ratio is a feasible prognostic marker for prediction of HCC recurrence after resection so, it can help in providing an intensive postoperative surveillance program to high risk patients for early detection and management of any recurrence.

•

AFP/TTV ratio is a feasible surrogate for prediction of HCC recurrence.

•

It can help in providing an intensive postoperative surveillance program to high risk patients.

•

By knowing the high risk patients for HCC recurrence, we can provide appropriate preventive measures.

•

The appropriate preventive measures like loco-regional or new-adjuvant therapy, still need another study to clarify.

Disparities in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance: Dissecting the Roles of Patient, Provider, and Health System Factors

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and remains one of the most rapidly rising cancers among the US adults. While overall HCC survival is poor, early diagnosis via timely and consistent implementation of routine HCC surveillance among at-risk individuals leads to earlier tumor stage at diagnosis, which is directly correlated with improved options for potentially curative therapies, translating into improved overall survival. Despite this well-established understanding of the benefits of HCC surveillance, surveillance among cirrhosis patients remains suboptimal in a variety of practice settings. While the exact reasons underlying the unacceptably low rates of routine HCC surveillance are complex, it likely reflects multifactorial contributions at the patient, provider, and health care system levels. Furthermore, these multilevel challenges affect ethnic minorities disproportionately, which is particularly concerning given that ethnic minorities already experience existing barriers in timely access to consistent medical care, and these populations are disproportionately affected by HCC burden in the United States. In this review, we provide an updated evaluation of the existing literature on rates of HCC surveillance in the United States. We specifically highlight the existing literature on the impact of patient-specific, provider-specific, and health care system-specific factors in contributing to challenges in effective implementation of HCC surveillance.

Mac-2 Binding Protein Glycosylation Isomer as a Hepatocellular Carcinoma Marker in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B or C Infection

Mac‐2 binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) is a novel glycoprotein biomarker that correlates with liver fibrosis. It has been investigated in East Asian populations as a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) biomarker. We assessed M2BPGi as an HCC biomarker in an ethnically diverse cohort of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We enrolled 947 treatment‐naive patients mono‐infected with HBV or HCV without HCC at baseline. Biomarker levels were measured from baseline sera and correlated with longitudinal clinical data. The primary outcome was HCC occurrence during long‐term follow‐up. Median M2BPGi was significantly higher among patients with cirrhosis (2.67 versus 0.80; P < 0.001) and patients who developed HCC (3.22 versus 1.16; P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) for M2BPGi and alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) was similar overall (0.77 versus 0.72; P = 0.15), but M2BPGi outperformed AFP among patients with HBV (0.84 versus 0.75; P = 0.02). M2BPGi performed poorly among patients with HCV (AUROC, 0.51). M2BPGi was an independent predictor of HCC among patients with HBV but not among patients with HCV. M2BPGi performed better in patient subgroups with a lower prevalence of cirrhosis. Conclusion: In our HBV cohort, M2BPGi was more effective than AFP in predicting HCC and was an independent predictor of HCC. However, M2BPGi had limited predictive value in our HCV cohort, likely due to a high cirrhosis burden in this cohort. Further studies are needed to evaluate M2BPGi as an HCC biomarker in broader patient populations with more diverse disease etiology, non‐Asian ethnicity, and more advanced fibrosis.

Serum alpha-fetoprotein level per total tumor volume as a predictor of recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after resection

BACKGROUND

Alpha-fetoprotein has been used as a predictor of recurrence for hepatocellular carcinoma and disease-free survival post-resection. Studies in East Asia have shown that serum alpha-fetoprotein per total tumor volume ratio is a better prognostic indicator than alpha-fetoprotein alone. Similar studies in the United States evaluating serum alpha-fetoprotein to total tumor volume ratio have not been conducted. Its relevance is incompletely understood.

METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing resection for hepatocellular carcinoma at a single tertiary center between 2000 and 2013 were identified for inclusion in this retrospective cohort study. Patient demographics, associated liver disease, Child-Pugh and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores, preoperative imaging, surgical pathology, alpha-fetoprotein at diagnosis, last alpha-fetoprotein before surgery, and peak alpha-fetoprotein levels were recorded. Actual tumor volume by imaging volumetrics was used when available (n = 70). For the remaining cases, total tumor volume was calculated using the sum of the volumes of all the tumors ((4/3)πr³) where "r" is the mean radius of each lesion. Peak serum alpha-fetoprotein was used to calculate the alpha-fetoprotein to total tumor volume ratio.

RESULTS

A total of 124 patients resected for hepatocellular carcinoma between 2000 and 2013 were identified. Overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival post resection was 76%, 53%, and 35%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, peak alpha-fetoprotein to total tumor volume ratio > 20 (P < .001, HR = 3.72, 95% CI [1.82-7.58]) and lymphovascular space invasion (P = .002, HR = 3.30, 95% CI [1.57-6.94]) were found to affect hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence-free survival.

CONCLUSION

A variety of prognostic values predict the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma postresection. Peak preoperative alpha-fetoprotein to total tumor volume > 20 and lymphovascular space invasion has been shown to predict recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma. Our study confirms findings from East Asian studies. But larger series are needed to establish this correlation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma not treated by resection.

Ethnic disparities in progression to advanced liver disease and overall survival in patients with chronic hepatitis C: impact of a sustained virological response

BACKGROUND

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A sustained virological response (SVR) is associated with improved outcomes, however, its impact on different ethnic groups is unknown.

AIM

To evaluate ethnic differences in the natural history of CHC and the impact of SVR.

METHODS

We conducted a cohort study of 8039 consecutive adult CHC patients seen at two medical centres in California between January 1997 and June 2016. Individual chart review confirmed CHC diagnosis.

RESULTS

Asian and Hispanic but not African American patients had significantly higher cirrhosis and HCC incidence than Caucasians. On multivariate analysis, Hispanic ethnicity was independently associated with increased cirrhosis (adjusted HR 1.37, CI, confidence interval 1.10-1.71, P=.006) and HCC risk (adjusted HR 1.47, CI 1.13-1.92, P=.004) compared to Caucasian. Asian ethnicity had a significant association with cirrhosis (adjusted HR 1.28, CI 1.02-1.61, P=.034) and HCC risk (adjusted HR 1.29, CI 0.94-1.77, P=.025). In patients who achieved SVR, Hispanic ethnicity was no longer independently associated with cirrhosis (adjusted HR 1.76, CI 0.66-4.71, P=.26) or HCC (adjusted HR 1.05, CI 0.27-4.08, P=.94); nor was Asian ethnicity (adjusted HR 0.62, CI 0.21-1.82, P=.38 for cirrhosis; 2.01, CI 0.63-6.36, P=.24 for HCC). Similar findings were observed with overall survival among the ethnicities by SVR status.

CONCLUSION

Hispanic and Asian ethnicity was independently associated with increased cirrhosis and HCC risk. Achieving an SVR eliminates the ethnic disparity in liver disease progression and overall survival between Hispanic and Asian vs Caucasian CHC patients.

HCV Genotype 6 Increased the Risk for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Among Asian Patients With Liver Cirrhosis

OBJECTIVES

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a well-documented risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Seven HCV genotypes have been classified, and the genotypes show a great variety of geographic distribution. HCV genotype 6 is prevalent in Southeast Asia and has been less studied than the other genotypes.

METHODS

This follow-up study was designed to evaluate the natural history of HCV genotype 6. The cohort enrolled 851 Asian patients consisting of 222 with HCV genotype 6 and 629 with other genotypes. The incidence of HCC per 1,000 person-years of various HCV genotypes was estimated by dividing the new HCC cases to the person-years of follow-up. The adjusted hazards ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by Cox's proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

After 4072 person-years of follow-up, there were 96 newly-developed HCC cases, confirming an incidence of 23.6 per 1000 person-years. By stratifying cirrhosis at study entry, the cumulative risk of HCC among HCV genotype 6 vs. non-6 was 2.9 vs. 2.2% for those without cirrhosis (P=0.45) and 76.2% (95% CI: 55.6-96.8%) vs. 36.2% (95% CI: 28.7-39.1%) for those with cirrhosis (P<0.05), respectively. Among patients with cirrhosis, HCV genotype 6 was significantly associated with HCC compared to patients with non-6 genotypes, with the adjusted HR=2.12 (1.33-3.39), P<0.05. In a model treating patients with genotypes other than 1 or 6 as the reference, the adjusted HR for HCC for HCV genotypes 1 and 6 were 1.13 (0.56-2.27) and 2.34 (1.12-4.86), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with cirrhosis, those with HCV genotype 6 infection should be given high priority for antiviral therapy to decrease HCC risk and for vigilant adherence to HCC surveillance.

Real-world experience with interferon-free, direct acting antiviral therapies in Asian Americans with chronic hepatitis C and advanced liver disease

Real-life data on interferon (IFN)-free direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapies for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is limited for Asian Americans.To evaluate sustained virologic response (SVR) and adverse events (AE) in Asian Americans treated with sofosbuvir (SOF)-based, IFN-free DAA therapies.This is a retrospective study of 110 consecutive Asian Americans with HCV genotypes 1 to 3 or 6 treated with IFN-free SOF-based regimens for 8 to 24 weeks between February 2014 and March 2016 at a university center in Northern California.Mean age was 63 ± 12 years, mean BMI was 25 ± 6 (kg/m), and about half (52%) were male. Most patients were infected with HCV genotype 1 (HCV-1, 64%), followed by HCV-2 (14%), HCV-6 (13%), and HCV-3 (8%). Half had cirrhosis, and the majority of these (67%) had decompensation. Overall SVR12 was 93% (102/110), and highest among patients without cirrhosis, liver transplant, or HCC (100%, 37/37). SVR12 was lower among patients with HCC (82%, 14/17), decompensated cirrhosis (84%, 31/37), or liver transplant (89%, 17/19), regardless of treatment and genotype. Most common AEs were anemia (25%), fatigue (20%), and headache (12%). Anemia was highest in patients receiving SOF/RBV (67%). There was 1 treatment-unrelated serious adverse effect (SAE). There were 7 dose reductions due to anemia or fatigue from RBV and 2 treatment discontinuations due to fatigue or loss of insurance authorization.This real-life cohort of Asian American CHC patients treated with IFN-free SOF-based therapies showed high overall treatment response and good tolerability, despite very high rates of advanced disease and prior treatment failure.

Factors Associated with Hepatitis C Knowledge Before and After an Educational Intervention among Vietnamese Americans

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease and cancer. Vietnamese Americans are at high risk of HCV infection, with men having the highest US incidence of liver cancer. This study examines an intervention to improve HCV knowledge among Vietnamese Americans.

STUDY

Seven Vietnamese community-based organizations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey recruited a total of 306 Vietnamese participants from 2010 to 2011.

RESULTS

Average knowledge scores for pretest and posttest were 3.32 and 5.88, respectively (maximum 10). After adjusting for confounding variables, age and higher education were positively associated with higher pretest scores and having a physician who spoke English or Vietnamese was negatively associated with higher pretest scores. Additionally, after adjusting for confounding variables, household income, education, and having an HCV-infected family member significantly increased knowledge scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Promotion and development of HCV educational programs can increase HCV knowledge among race and ethnic groups, such as Vietnamese Americans. Giving timely information to at-risk groups provides the opportunity to correct misconceptions, decrease HCV risk behaviors, and encourage testing that might improve timely HCV diagnosis and treatment.

Prospective cohort study on the outcomes of hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis in South Korea

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The outcomes of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver cirrhosis was limitedly studied in a hepatitis B virus-endemic area. This multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted to elucidate the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and mortality in the Korean patients with HCV-related cirrhosis.

METHODS

From January 2007 through June 2012, 196 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis were prospectively enrolled and regularly followed at six university hospitals to determine HCC occurrence and mortality. A multivariable analysis using Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to clarify the related factors to the outcomes.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up period of 39.2 months, 31 (15.8%) patients developed HCC, and 33 (16.8%) patients died or underwent liver transplantation. The estimated HCC incidence was 5.8 per 100 person-years, and the independent factors for HCC were absence of anti-HBV surface antibody (HBs hazard ratio [HR], 5.018; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.710-14.726; P = 0.003) and serum albumin < 3.8 g/dL (HR, 3.051; 95% CI, 1.318-7.067; P = 0.009). The overall mortality rate was 5.1 per 100 person-years, and the related independent factors were the presence of ascites (HR, 2.448; 95% CI, 1.142-5.210; P = 0.022), serum albumin < 3.8 g/dL (HR, 3.067; 95% CI, 1.254-8.139, P = 0.014), and nonachievement of sustained virologic response (SVR) (HR, 0.066; 95% CI, 0.001-0.484, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The incidence of HCC in HCV-related cirrhosis seems to be high in Korea, and advanced liver disease and no achievement of SVR were associated with mortality. The absence of anti-HBs in hepatocarcinogenesis related to HCV warrants further study.

Ambovex(®) as a novel immunological modulator drug for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the liver: a Phase II clinical trial

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a global public health problem, based on it being the fifth most common cancer and third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The approved conventional treatment methods for HCC have shown life-threatening side effects with limited or negligible success, especially in multifocal HCC. As a consequence, new therapeutic approaches are being explored, including immunoregulatory molecules that may have the potential to treat or delay the progression of HCC. A novel pharmaceutical botanical drug - Ambovex(®), an immune-modulator molecule - was tested to treat or delay the progress of HCC. We conducted a 6-month randomized clinical trial with an additional 3-month washing period (no treatment) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of low-dose Ambovex oral spray in treating patients with HCC. The clinical study involved a total of 40 patients, with 33 in the treatment group and seven in the control group. The α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were measured every month and ultrasound scans were performed at time zero and every 2 months thereafter. Computed tomography (CT) scans were performed for patients in the treatment group. Ambovex proved to be safe, as there were no significant side effects although some patients found that the drug has unpleasant taste. AFP analysis showed a significant decrease in its level (α=0.05; 95% confidence interval) in the treatment group when compared to the control group at 3 months (P=0.0031) and at 6 months (P=0.007). The ultrasound results showed improvement in the treated group, as evidenced by a significant decrease in the lesion numbers and sizes. The lesions in 38% of treated patients decreased from multiple to single with major improvements; 35% of patients exhibited a decrease from multiple lesions to multiple lesions with minor improvements, whereas 27% had stabilized lesions. CT scans in the treated group showed significant improvement, as there was complete disappearance of the lesions after 6 months of treatment with Ambovex in two patients. This clinical study showed the effective and promising results of Ambovex as an immunological modulator in treating HCC. Further exploration of Ambovex is recommended.

Hepatitis C in African Americans

The care of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in African Americans represents an opportunity to address a major health disparity in medicine. In all facets of HCV infection, African Americans are inexplicably affected, including in the prevalence of the virus, which is higher among them compared with most of the racial and ethnic groups. Ironically, although fibrosis rates may be slow, hepatocellular carcinoma and mortality rates appear to be higher among African Americans. Sustained viral response (SVR) rates have historically significantly trailed behind Caucasians. The reasons for this gap in SVR are related to both viral and host factors. Moreover, low enrollment rates in clinical trials hamper the study of the efficacy of anti-viral therapy. Nevertheless, the gap in SVR between African Americans and Caucasians may be narrowing with the use of direct-acting agents. Gastroenterologists, hepatologists, primary care physicians, and other health-care providers need to address modifiable risk factors that affect the natural history, as well as treatment outcomes, for HCV among African Americans. Efforts need to be made to improve awareness among health-care providers to address the differences in screening and referral patterns for African Americans.

Racial differences in the progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in HCV-infected veterans

OBJECTIVES

The race of patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States may be associated with the risk for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, previous studies are too small to provide convincing data regarding the effect of race on cirrhosis and HCC risk after accounting for demographic, clinical, and virological factors.

METHODS

We used the Veterans Administration (VA) HCV Clinical Case Registry to identify patients with confirmed viremia between 2000 and 2009 and with at least 1 year of follow-up in the VA. We identified cirrhosis and HCC cases through early 2010. Cox proportional hazard regression models were performed to examine the effect of race on the risk for cirrhosis and HCC while adjusting for patients' age, gender, period of service (World War I/II, Vietnam era, post-Vietnam era), HIV coinfection, HBV coinfection, alcohol abuse, diabetes, body mass index, and antiviral treatment receipt and response.

RESULTS

There were 149,407 patients with active HCV viremia. Of them, 56.3% were non-Hispanic White (NHW), 36.1% were African American (AA), 6.0% were Hispanic, and 1.6% belonged to other racial groups. After an average follow-up of 5.2 years, 13,099 patients were seen to have a recorded diagnosis of cirrhosis and 3,551 had HCC. Hispanics had the highest annual incidence rates of cirrhosis and HCC (28.8 and 7.8%, respectively), whereas AAs had the lowest rates (13.3% and 3.9%, respectively) compared with NHWs (21.6 and 4.7%, respectively). There were differences among NHW, AA, and Hispanic patients in the rates of HIV infection (2.1, 2.5, and 6.0%, respectively), HCV genotype 1 (50.0, 50.6, and 64.2%, respectively), obesity (28.0, 25.4, and 30.9%, respectively), diabetes (8.7, 16.1, and 16.1%, respectively), and absence of antiviral treatment (81.1, 89.6, and 82.1%, respectively). However, adjusting for differences in demographic and clinical factors did not change the magnitude or direction of the race effect. Compared with NHWs, Hispanic patients had a higher risk of having cirrhosis recorded (adjusted hazard ratio (HR)=1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.21-1.37) and HCC (1.61, 95% CI=1.44-1.80). In contrast, AAs had a lower risk of cirrhosis (HR=0.58, 95% CI=0.55-0.60) and HCC (0.77, 95% CI=0.71-0.83) compared with NHWs.

CONCLUSIONS

Hispanics with HCV are at a significantly higher risk, whereas AAs are at a considerably lower risk of developing cirrhosis and HCC than are NHWs. These associations persisted even after adjusting for a range of factors including HCV genotype, HCV treatment, diabetes, and body mass index.

Hepatitis B and C in African Americans: current status and continued challenges

Viral hepatitis remains a public health concern in the United States, resulting in excess morbidity and mortality for the individual and representing a burden to societies as evidenced by billions of dollars in health care expenditures. As with many chronic diseases, race and ethnicity influence various aspects of disease pathogenesis, including mechanisms of persistence, disease progression, disease sequelae, and response to therapy. For hepatitis B and C infections, African Americans disproportionately bear a large burden of disease in the United States. The role and importance of African American race, however, have been less well-characterized in the literature among the population of viral hepatitis-infected individuals. The differences in epidemiology, manifestations of liver disease, response to therapy, and differential trends in liver transplantation in African Americans compared with other racial and ethnic groups deserve special attention. This review will address the current status of hepatitis B and C infection in African Americans in the United States and identify some of the remaining challenges in diagnosis, characterization of natural history, and treatment. For the purposes of this review, the terms African American and black will be used interchangeably throughout the text.

The contribution of viral hepatitis to the burden of chronic liver disease in the United States

OBJECTIVES

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is increasingly recognized as a major public health problem. However, in the United States, there are few nationally representative data on the contribution of viral hepatitis as an etiology of CLD.

METHODS

We applied a previously used International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification-based definition of CLD cases to the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey databases for 2006-2010. We estimated the mean number of CLD visits per year, prevalence ratio of visits by patient characteristics, and the percentage of CLD visits attributed to viral hepatitis and other selected etiologies.

RESULTS

An estimated 6.0 billion ambulatory care visits occurred in the United States from 2006 to 2010, of which an estimated 25.8 million (0.43%) were CLD-related. Among adults aged 45-64 years, Medicaid and Medicare recipients were 3.9 (prevalence ratio (PR)=3.9, 95% confidence limit (CL; 2.8, 5.4)) and 2.3 (PR=2.3, 95% CL (1.6, 3.4)) times more likely to have a CLD-related ambulatory visit than those with private insurance, respectively. In the United States, from 2006 to 2010, an estimated 49.6% of all CLD-related ambulatory visits were attributed solely to viral hepatitis B and C diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

In this unique application of health-care utilization data, we confirm that viral hepatitis is an important etiology of CLD in the United States, with hepatitis B and C contributing approximately one-half of the CLD burden. CLD ambulatory visits in the United States disproportionately occur among adults, aged 45-64 years, who are primarily minorities, men, and Medicare or Medicaid recipients.

Clinical presentation and survival of Asian and non-Asian patients with HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Asians; however, it is often overlooked due to the high prevalence of hepatitis B virus in Asians. This study examines HCV-related HCC in Asians.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 792 consecutive Asian (n = 220) and non-Asian (n = 572) patients with HCV-related HCC identified at Stanford University Medical Center using International Classification of Diseases-9 diagnosis between July 1996 and June 2012.

RESULTS

Asian patients were much older [66 (38-88) vs. 56 (31-87) years, P < 0.0001] and more likely to be female (33 vs. 19 %, P < 0.0001). A larger proportion of Asians were diagnosed with HCC within 2 years of HCV diagnosis (35 vs. 20 %, P = 0.001). Asian patients were more likely to undergo palliative therapy (46 vs. 28 %) and less likely to be listed for liver transplantation (20 vs. 48 %, P < 0.001), despite similar rates of meeting Milan criteria (52 vs. 58 %, P = 0.16). Overall, there was a trend for higher median survival rates in Asians (30 vs. 21 months, P = 0.091). Asians had higher long-term survival with palliative therapy only (5-year survival: 28 vs. 10 %, P < 0.0001); however, survival was similar among patients listed for liver transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS

There were distinct differences in clinical presentations of Asian and non-Asian patients with HCV-related HCC. Asians with HCV-related HCC are less likely to undergo liver transplantation and more likely to have delayed HCV diagnosis. Improved strategies in HCV screening in Asians are needed, as it may lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment of HCV infection and possible prevention of HCC development.

Less-established risk factors are common in Asian Americans with hepatitis C virus: a case-controlled study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in patients with injection drug use, blood transfusion before 1992, stigmata of liver disease, or born between 1945 and 1965. The purpose of this study was to examine risk factors for HCV acquisition in Asian Americans.

METHODS

This was a case-controlled study, with 471 consecutive patients testing positive for anti-HCV between January 2001 and December 2008. Controls included 471 patients with negative HCV matched at a one-to-one ratio for sex, age (±5 years), and ethnicity.

RESULTS

For Asian patients, the most common risk factors were blood transfusion and acupuncture or exposure to dirty needles (27 and 20 %, respectively). On multiple logistic regression, potential predictors for a positive anti-HCV test in Asians were acupuncture or exposure to dirty needles (OR = 12.9, P < 0.0001), body tattoo (OR = 12.0, P = 0.001), and history of blood transfusion (OR = 5.7, P < 0.0001).

DISCUSSION

Acupuncture and exposure to dirty needles are independent risk factors of HCV infection. Asians coming from endemic areas should be screened for HCV even when commonly-known risk factors for Western patients are not present.

Recombinant human decorin upregulates p57KIP² expression in HepG2 hepatoma cell lines

Increasing the expression of cyclin-cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (cyclin-CDK) using small molecule inhibitors is a therapeutic strategy used to suppress cancer cell growth. Decorin (DCN), a functional component of the extracellular matrix, has been implicated in the suppression of cell proliferation by upregulating p21, a cyclin-CDK inhibitor. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of recombinant decorin on the reactivation of p57KIP2, whose expression is silenced in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cell viability assay, cell cycle analysis, apoptosis assay and quantitative real time-PCR experiments were performed in three groups of HepG2 human cells: Uninfected HepG2 cells (control group), pcDNA3.1 vector-infected HepG2 cells (pcDNA3.1 group) and pcDNA3.1-DCN-infected HepG2 cells (pcDNA3.1‑DCN group). Our results revealed that recombinant human decorin inhibited cell proliferation, induced G0/G1 phase arrest and induced apoptosis by increasing the expression of caspase-3 in the pcDNA3.1-DCN group. The expression of p57KIP2 mRNA in the pcDNA3.1-DCN group was higher than in the pcDNA3.1 and control groups (P<0.05); however, there was no statistically significant difference between the control and pcDNA3.1 groups (P>0.05). In conclusion, recombinant human decorin reactivated p57KIP2 expression in HepG2 cells. As the expression level of p57KIP2 is downregulated in HCC, our finding may serve as a basis for the therapy and prognosis of HCC, although further studies are required.

Systematic review: Asian patients with chronic hepatitis C infection

BACKGROUND

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection is a risk factor for both the development of end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Globally, approximately 170 million people are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), and the majority of these individuals come from the western Pacific and Southeast Asia regions (94.6 million persons combined). CHC is an understudied and underappreciated health problem in many Asian countries and in the US, where Asians represent one of the fastest growing groups of new Americans.

AIM

To perform a systematic review of the current literature on the epidemiology, diagnosis and screening, clinical characteristics and response to anti-viral therapy of Asians with CHC.

METHODS

Using a PubMed search of 'hepatitis C' and 'Asia,' 341 original manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals were identified, and 99 were selected based on their relevance.

RESULTS

Many Asian CHC patients do not have easily identifiable risk factors and may be underdiagnosed. Rates of HCV infection in Asians on community screening in the US are unexpectedly high, and there is a high prevalence of HCV genotype 6 in Southeast Asia and Southern China. HCV-infected Asians tend to present at older age and may have higher risk of HCC; however, they respond better to anti-viral therapy than non-Asians across all HCV genotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the high HCV endemicity in Asia, lack of identifiable risk factors and favourable treatment response rates in Asians, we advocate the screening for HCV infection of all Asians who come from areas where HCV prevalence is ≥2%.

High proportion of hepatitis C virus in community Asian American patients with non-liver-related complaints

GOALS AND BACKGROUND

Besides United States population born between 1945 and 1965, screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is not recommended for the general US population. However, HCV may be more prevalent in certain subgroups and screening may be warranted. The goal of this study was to examine the proportion of HCV in a large sample of community Asian American patients presenting for non-liver-related complaints.

STUDY

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1246 patients tested for hepatitis C virus antibodies (anti-HCV) referred to 2 gastroenterology clinics for non-liver-related gastrointestinal reasons between January 2001 and February 2011. We determined HCV status and patient history via electronic medical record review.

RESULTS

Of the 1246 study patients tested for anti-HCV, the majority were Asian (81.4%) and 29 Asian patients (2.9%) had positive anti-HCV. HCV proportion in the remaining 232 non-Asians (non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics) was 1.7%. Asians with positive anti-HCV were more likely to have had blood transfusions (31.0% vs. 6.6%, P<0.0001) or acupuncture (10.3% vs. 1.5%, P<0.0001). Of the 976 Asian patients with hepatitis B surface antigen testing, 38 (3.9%) also had detectable hepatitis B surface antigen.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients seen at community gastroenterology clinics for non-liver-related reasons, HCV proportion was 1.7% for non-Asians and 2.9% for Asians. Screening for HCV should be offered to high-risk patients presenting to gastroenterology clinics with unrelated gastrointestinal complaints.

Aflatoxin B1-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in developing countries: Geographical distribution, mechanism of action and prevention

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most well-known primary liver malignancy worldwide. Its incidence is rising at alarming rates and has become a public concern globally. It is more frequent in developing countries than in industrialized countries with respect to geographical variation, ethnic disparities and socioeconomic status. Dietary exposure to aflatoxins is among the major HCC risk factors. Aflatoxin B1, which is a genotoxic hepatocarcinogen, which presumptively causes cancer by inducing DNA adducts leading to genetic changes in target liver cells. AFB1 is metabolized by cytochrome-P450 enzymes to the reactive intermediate AFB1-8, 9 epoxide (AFBO) which binds to liver cell DNA, resulting in DNA adducts. DNA adducts interact with the guanine bases of liver cell DNA and cause a mutational effect in the P53 tumor suppressor gene at the codon 249 hotspot in exon 7, which may lead to HCC. Approximately 4.5 billion of the world’s population is exposed to aflatoxin-contaminated food, particularly in low-income countries. Prevention involves treating crops that are susceptible to fungal contamination, appropriate handling of foodstuffs and the use of chemopreventive intervention. Moreover, an integrated network collaboration of different sectors, including public health, agricultural departments and mass media, is required to ensure effective food regulation systems so as to minimize the contamination of food by aflatoxins.

Incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma among US patients with cirrhosis of viral or nonviral etiologies

BACKGROUND & AIMS

We aimed to identify risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis in the United States. We performed a prospective study to identify associations between etiologies of cirrhosis and ethnicity with HCC incidence.

METHODS

We used convenience sampling to select a cohort of 379 patients with cirrhosis who visited the liver clinic at the Stanford University Medical Center from 2001 to 2009 (65% male, 75% white or Hispanic, and 20% Asian). Study end points were HCC diagnosis by histology or noninvasive criteria, liver transplantation, or last screening without HCC. Patients were followed up, with ultrasound or computed tomographic imaging analyses and measurements of serum levels of α-fetoprotein, approximately every 6 months, for a median time of 34 months (range, 6-99 mo).

RESULTS

The etiologies of cirrhosis in the cohort were 68% hepatitis C, 7% hepatitis B, and 25% nonviral. Forty-four patients (12%) were diagnosed with HCC during the follow-up period. Patients with cirrhosis related to viral hepatitis had a statistically significantly higher incidence of HCC than those with nonviral diseases in Kaplan-Meier analysis (P = .04). There was no statistically significant difference in HCC incidence between Asian and non-Asian patients. In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model that included age, sex, ethnicity, etiology, and Child-Pugh-Turcotte score, viral cirrhosis was associated significantly with HCC, compared with nonviral cirrhosis (hazard ratio, 3.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-10.1; P = .02) but Asian ethnicity was not.

CONCLUSIONS

In a diverse cohort of patients in the United States with cirrhosis, a viral etiology of cirrhosis was associated with increased incidence of HCC, but Asian ethnicity was not. These findings indicate the importance of cirrhosis etiology in determining risk for HCC.

Prospective study of risk factors for hepatitis C virus acquisition by Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian American patients

Commonly known risk factors for infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) include blood transfusion, injection drug use, intranasal cocaine use, and body tattoos. We hypothesized that Asian Americans infected with HCV may not identify with these established risk factors present in Caucasians and Hispanics, and our aim was to conduct a survey of risk factors in HCV-infected patients in these ethnic groups. In this prospective study, 494 patients infected with HCV completed a detailed risk assessment questionnaire at a liver centre in Northern California from 2001 to 2008. Among subjects participating in this study, 55% identified themselves as Caucasian, 20% as Hispanic, and 25% as Asian. Asian Americans were older, less likely to smoke or consume alcohol, and have a family history of cancer compared with Caucasians and Hispanics. The laboratory profiles were similar, and genotype 1 was the most common infection in all groups (74-75%). The great majority of Caucasians (94%) and Hispanics (86%) identified with commonly known risk factors, which was in contrast to 67% of Asians (P < 0.0001). The most common risk factors in Asians were blood transfusions (50%) and acupuncture (50%). Furthermore, 74% of Caucasians and 66% of Hispanics identified more than one major risk factor, while only 20% of Asians reported having more than one risk factor (P < 0.0001). Survey for established risk factors for acquisition of HCV may be more appropriate for risk assessment of Caucasians and Hispanics, but not for Asian Americans. These findings may guide the development of HCV screening in our increasingly diverse population.

Risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma in a cohort infected with hepatitis B or C

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has increased in Australia in recent decades, a large and growing proportion of which occurs among a population chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, risk factors for HCC among these high-risk groups require further characterization.

METHODS

We conducted a population-based cohort study using HBV and HCV cases notified to the New South Wales Health Department between 2000 and 2007. These were linked to cause of death data, HIV/AIDS notifications, and hospital records. Proportional hazards regression was used to identify significant risk factors for developing HCC.

RESULTS

A total of 242 and 339 HCC cases were linked to HBV (n = 43 892) and HCV (n = 83 817) notifications, respectively. For both HBV and HCV groups, being male and increasing age were significantly associated with risk of HCC. Increasing comorbidity score indicated high risk, while living outside urban areas was associated with lower risk. Hazard ratios for males were two to three times those of females. For both HBV and HCV groups, cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease, and the interaction between the two were associated with significantly and considerably elevated risk.

CONCLUSION

This large population-based study confirms known risk factors for HCC. The association with older age highlights the potential impact of HBV and HCV screening of at-risk groups and early clinical assessment. Additional research is required to evaluate the impact of improving antiviral therapy on HCC risk.

Comparing the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI) between African American and White veterans with chronic hepatitis C

OBJECTIVES

The study of noninvasive markers of fibrosis, such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI), have been limited in African American populations. Given the disparate outcomes of chronic hepatitis C in African American populations, comparative analyses of the APRI score should be undertaken. Compare the diagnostic accuracy of the APRI score for significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in a sample of African American and white veterans with chronic hepatitis C in the southeastern United States.

METHODS

We identified 268 veterans with chronic hepatitis C who had received a liver biopsy. The APRI score was calculated using laboratory values obtained within 180 days of liver biopsy and compared to the fibrosis stage (F0-F4). Performance characteristics of the APRI score for determining stages of fibrosis were compared in African American (n = 142) and white (n = 117) individuals.

RESULTS

An APRI score of 0.99 had a comparably high negative predictive value for significant fibrosis (F3-F4) in African American 0.90 and white veterans (0.83). For cirrhosis (F4), an APRI score of 1.0 provided a negative predictive value of 0.96 in the African American subset and 0.94 in the white subset. We did not detect any difference in the performance of the APRI score for predicting stages of fibrosis between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The APRI score displayed similar performance in African Americans and whites. A threshold of 1.0 can reliably exclude cirrhosis in African American veterans with chronic HCV infection.

Prevalence and challenges of liver diseases in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections pose a growing challenge to health care systems. Although chronic HCV infection begins as an asymptomatic condition with few short-term effects, it can progress to cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and death. The rate of new HCV infections is decreasing, yet the number of infected people with complications of the disease is increasing. In the United States, people born between 1945 and 1964 (baby boomers) are developing more complications of infection. Men and African Americans have a higher prevalence of HCV infection. Progression of fibrosis can be accelerated by factors such as older age, duration of HCV infection, sex, and alcohol intake. Furthermore, insulin resistance can cause hepatic steatosis and is associated with fibrosis progression and inflammation. If more effective therapies are not adopted for HCV, more than 1 million patients could develop HCV-related cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, or HCC by 2020, which will impact the US health care system. It is important to recognize the impact of HCV on liver disease progression and apply new therapeutic strategies.

Treatment options for hepatitis C and the rationale for low response rates in African Americans

Hepatitis C virus (HCV), the leading cause for liver transplantation, is emerging as1 of the infections that pose public health problems in the world since about 170 million people worldwide are infected with this virus. Inequality in addressing racial/ethnic disparities in treatment for hepatitis C is a pressing problem. HCV is more common among African Americans than among other racial groups in the United States. Although African Americans have been shown to have a lower rate of viral clearance and a higher rate of chronic hepatitis C, they may have at the same time a much lower rate of fibrosis progression compared to Caucasians. The purpose of this study is to summarize treatment options available for hepatitis C in African Americans and to describe the different mechanisms thought to be the reasons for the disparate response to treatment in African Americans.

Integrative and comparative genomics analysis of early hepatocellular carcinoma differentiated from liver regeneration in young and old

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. It is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, and hence typically has a poor prognosis. To identify distinct molecular mechanisms for early HCC we developed a rat model of liver regeneration post-hepatectomy, as well as liver cells undergoing malignant transformation and compared them to normal liver using a microarray approach. Subsequently, we performed cross-species comparative analysis coupled with copy number alterations (CNA) of independent early human HCC microarray studies to facilitate the identification of critical regulatory modules conserved across species.

RESULTS

We identified 35 signature genes conserved across species, and shared among different types of early human HCCs. Over 70% of signature genes were cancer-related, and more than 50% of the conserved genes were mapped to human genomic CNA regions. Functional annotation revealed genes already implicated in HCC, as well as novel genes which were not previously reported in liver tumors. A subset of differentially expressed genes was validated using quantitative RT-PCR. Concordance was also confirmed for a significant number of genes and pathways in five independent validation microarray datasets. Our results indicated alterations in a number of cancer related pathways, including p53, p38 MAPK, ERK/MAPK, PI3K/AKT, and TGF-beta signaling pathways, and potential critical regulatory role of MYC, ERBB2, HNF4A, and SMAD3 for early HCC transformation.

CONCLUSIONS

The integrative analysis of transcriptional deregulation, genomic CNA and comparative cross species analysis brings new insights into the molecular profile of early hepatoma formation. This approach may lead to robust biomarkers for the detection of early human HCC.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C prevalence and treatment referral among Asian Americans undergoing community-based hepatitis screening

OBJECTIVES

We sought to identify cross-sectional hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV prevalence among Asian Americans at a community health fair and to assess referral rates.

METHODS

We determined HBV prevalence with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), and antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs). We determined HCV prevalence with hepatitis C antibodies. Successful referral occurred when participants with HBV or HCV were contacted, medically evaluated, and given contact information of liver specialists for care.

RESULTS

Of 202 people screened, 118 were Asian Americans (65 Chinese and 39 Vietnamese). Twelve had chronic HBV with positive HBsAg. However, chronic HBV prevalence increased from 10.2% to 13.6% by concomitant HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs testing. Prevalence of HCV was 6% overall but 15.4% among Vietnamese. Overall, 83% of patients with chronic HBV and 100% of patients with occult HBV or HCV were successfully referred.

CONCLUSIONS

Concomitant HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs testing permits diagnosis of chronic, occult HBV infections missed by testing with HBsAg alone. Persons identified with HBV or HCV at community health fairs can be successfully referred.

Hepatitis C progressing to hepatocellular carcinoma: the HCV dialysis patient in dilemma

Approximately 3.2 million people in the United States have chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; the primary cause for adult liver transplantation and a significant burden on healthcare resources. The role of HCV and other risk factors in development of HCC in patients with chronic kidney disease is not well defined. We studied predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in dialysis patients with chronic HCV by analyzing factors associated with its development. Data were extracted from the United States Renal Database System (USRDS) using ICD-9 codes. Variables included were gender, race, duration on dialysis and co-morbidities (alcohol abuse, drug abuse, HIV, hepatitis B, diabetes and/or presence of cirrhosis). Among the 32 806 HCV infected subjects, 262 cases had HCC. HCC was 12 times more likely in subjects with cirrhosis (P < 0.001), three times more likely in subjects with alcohol abuse (P < 0.001), and 1.3 times more likely in subjects with diabetes (P = 0.04). Asians were three times more likely (P < 0.001) to have HCC. Females were less likely to have HCC compared to males (P = 0.002). The likelihood of having HCC increased with age (P =0.001). This population-based study demonstrates that among subjects with HCV on dialysis, those with cirrhosis, Asian race and history of alcohol abuse are at highest risk for development of HCC. Furthermore, these findings indicate links between HCV and HCC which are valuable in case management for identifying; monitoring, and managing dialysis patients with HCC.

JNK1 activation predicts the prognostic outcome of the human hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide with an extremely poor prognosis. The classification of HCC based on the molecular signature is not well-established.

RESULTS

In the present study, we reported HCC signature genes based on the JNK1 activation status in 31 HCC specimens relative to the matched distal noncancerous liver tissue from 31 patients. The HCCs with high JNK1 (H-JNK1) and low JNK1 (L-JNK1) were sub-grouped. Two different signature gene sets for both H-JNK1 and L-JNK1 HCC were identified through gene expression profiling. A striking overlap of signature genes was observed between the H-JNK1 HCC and the hepatoblastoma or hepatoblastoma-type HCC. Many established biomarkers for hepatic progenitor cells were over-expressed in H-JNK1 HCC, including AFP, TACSTD1, KRT19, KRT7, THY1, and PROM1. In addition, the majority of the most up-regulated genes were those associated with metastasis and earlier recurrence, whereas the genes for normal liver function were substantially down-regulated in H-JNK1 HCC tissue. A Kaplan-Meier plot demonstrated that the survival of the patients with H-JNK1 HCC was severely impaired.

CONCLUSION

Accordingly, we believe that the H-JNK1 HCC may originate from hepatic progenitor cells and is associated with poorer prognosis. The status of JNK1 activation in HCC tissue, thus, might be a new biomarker for HCC prognosis and therapeutic targeting.

Comparison of outcomes between patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and those with hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The natural history of alcoholic cirrhosis, especially in Asian countries, has not been completely understood thus far.

METHODS

We retrospectively compared the outcomes of compensated cirrhosis between Japanese alcoholic and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients.

RESULTS

A total of 227 patients (75 alcoholic and 152 HCV-infected patients) with compensated cirrhosis were enrolled. The median follow-up period was 4.9 years. The cumulative rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development were significantly lower in the alcoholic patients than in the HCV-infected patients (6.8% vs 50.3% at 10 years, P = 0.0003), while the cumulative rates of hepatic decompensation (37.4% vs 51.7% at 10 years) and survival (53.8% vs 47.4% at 10 years) did not significantly differ between the two groups (Kaplan-Meir analysis). The main causes of death were hepatic failure and non-hepatic diseases in the alcoholic patients and HCC and hepatic failure in the HCV-infected patients. Multivariate analyses using the Cox proportional hazard model revealed that the risk of HCC was lower in alcoholic cirrhosis than in HCV-related cirrhosis (hazard ratio (HR), 0.46), while the risk of hepatic decompensation and mortality was the same. Predictors of decreased survival were non-abstinence (HR, 2.53) in the alcoholic patients and low serum albumin level (1.58) in the HCV-infected patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Survival of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis was similar to that of patients with HCV-related cirrhosis. The risk of HCC development was lower in alcoholic cirrhosis than in HCV-related cirrhosis. Abstinence from alcohol was important for improving the survival of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.

Demographics of a large cohort of urban chronic hepatitis C patients

Purpose

Recent studies suggest that African Americans (AA) with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) differ from non-Hispanic whites (NHW) with respect to the natural history and mortality resulting from the complications of chronic liver disease. The aim of this study was to examine the demographics of a large cohort of CHC patients and identify potential differences between AA and NHW.

Methods

This is a retrospective analysis, consisting of 2,739 hepatitis C antibody-positive patients seen at Wayne State University between 1995 and 2005. Patient demographics, risk factors, comorbidities, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum hepatitis C (HCV) RNA levels, genotype, and liver biopsy results were recorded.

Results

AA constituted 75.4%, NHW 22.5%, and Asians or Hispanics 2.1% of the patients. Males predominated (58%), and the mean age of AA and NHW was 50.0 and 45.3 years, respectively (P ≤ 0.001). The most common risk factor was injection drug use in 55.3% (AA 57.1% vs. NHW 49.7%; P ≤ 0.002). HCV RNA by PCR obtained in 2,407 patients was positive in 94.8%, with a high viral load in 61%. Genotype 1 was significantly more frequent in AA (92.6%) than in NHW (70.6%, P ≤ 0.001). AA had lower median ALT levels (P ≤ 0.001). In those patients who were biopsied, there was no significant difference in fibrosis between the two groups. Aspartate to platelet index calculated in those patients who were not biopsied showed significantly lower fibrosis scores in AA.

Conclusions

In this large cohort of CHC patients from a single institution, AA were older at presentation, had a higher prevalence of genotype 1, but significantly lower ALT levels than NHW.

Racial disparity in liver disease: Biological, cultural, or socioeconomic factors

Chronic liver diseases are a major public health issue in the United States, and there are substantial racial disparities in liver cirrhosis-related mortality. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most significant contributing factor in the development of chronic liver disease, complications such as hepatocellular carcinoma, and the need for liver transplantation. In the United States, African Americans have twice the prevalence of HCV seropositivity and develop hepatocellular carcinoma at more than twice the rate as whites. African Americans are, however, less likely to respond to interferon therapy for HCV than are whites and have considerably lower likelihood of receiving liver transplantation, the only definitive therapy for end-stage liver disease. Even among those who undergo transplantation, African Americans have lower 2-year and 5-year graft and patient survival compared to whites. We will review these racial disparities in chronic liver diseases and discuss potential biological, socioeconomic, and cultural contributions. An understanding of their underlying mechanisms is an essential step in implementing measures to mollify racially based inequities in the burden and management of liver disease in an increasingly racially and ethnically diverse population.

Hepatic steatosis correlates with the postoperative recurrence of hepatitis C virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatic steatosis is a prominent feature of chronic hepatitis C. Hepatic steatosis was reported recently to be a risk factor for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

AIM

To investigate whether hepatic steatosis influences the postoperative recurrence of HCV-associated HCC.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted in 88 patients undergoing curative resection of HCV-associated HCC. Cumulative tumour recurrence rates were compared between steatosis-positive and steatosis-negative patients, and the factors affecting intrahepatic recurrence were assessed.

RESULTS

The respective tumour recurrence rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 19%, 76%, and 92% in the steatosis-positive group, and 12%, 52%, and 60% in the steatosis-negative group. The tumour recurrence rate of the steatosis-positive group was significantly higher than that of the steatosis-negative group (P=0.02). Hepatic steatosis [relative risk (RR)=3.31, 95% confidence intervals (CIs)=1.49-7.41, P=0.003], stage of fibrosis (RR=3.17, 95% CI=1.35-7.47, P=0.008), surgical procedure (RR=0.22, 95% CI=0.076-0.64, P=0.005), number of tumours (RR=5.24, 95% CI=1.63-16.80, P=0.005), size of the largest tumour (RR=3.52, 95% CI=1.28-9.69, P=0.02), and vascular invasion (RR=2.72, 95% CI=1.32-5.59, P=0.007) were independent factors for tumour recurrence rate by multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Hepatic steatosis is a useful predictor of postoperative recurrence of HCV-related HCC.

Treating hepatitis C in African Americans

BACKGROUND

The epidemiology, natural history and response to therapy of chronic hepatitis C differs significantly between African Americans and other ethnic populations. The reasons for these differences are not entirely clear but include mode of transmission, viral kinetics, immune responsiveness, and demographics.

OBJECTIVE

Review of the peer-reviewed literature and expert opinion from 1990 to 2005 regarding features of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in African Americans, differences in presentation and response to therapy, and treatment recommendations.

RESULTS

The epidemiology of HCV infection in African Americans appears to be predominantly associated with socio-economic status and high-risk behaviors. However, disease course, response to treatment, and virologic outcome may be a function of race. African Americans may clear HCV less efficiently than other ethnic groups, although impaired immune responsivity may also lead to decreased necro-inflammatory activity and progression to cirrhosis. Therapy-naive African Americans have lower sustained virologic response rates to this treatment than other populations.

CONCLUSIONS

Strategies to improve outcomes in African Americans include higher doses of current medications, medications with fewer adverse events, and new experimental molecular therapies.