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Risk of HCC in Patients with HBV, Role of Antiviral Treatment

  • Hepatic Cancer (N Parikh, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Risk prediction and reduction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been a hot topic over the last decade. This review summarizes the latest evidence of HCC risk prediction and reduction.

Recent Findings

Risk prediction models have been moving from traditional regression analysis on clinical parameters as well as HBV and liver fibrosis biomarkers to novel machine-learning models which maximize data use while minimizing bias. Different studies and meta-analyses have been performed to compare the risk of HCC in chronic HBV patients treated by entecavir versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, yet suggested inconsistent results. HCC risk is much reduced by antiviral therapy through sustained viral suppression, while aspirin, metformin, and statin were also found useful as chemoprevention for HCC.

Summary

Novel machine-learning models for HCC prediction are going to guide HCC surveillance and the need of chemoprevention for HCC with medications on top of antiviral therapy.

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Abbreviations

CHB:

Chronic hepatitis B

CI:

Confidence intervals

ETV:

Entecavir

HBV:

Hepatitis B virus

HCC:

Hepatocellular carcinoma

IQR:

Interquartile range

LSM:

Liver stiffness measurement

NA:

Nucleos(t)ide analogues

TAF:

Tenofovir alafenamide

TDF:

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China

    Terry Cheuk-Fung Yip, Jimmy Che-To Lai, Lilian Yan Liang, Vicki Wing-Ki Hui, Vincent Wai-Sun Wong & Grace Lai-Hung Wong

  2. Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 9/F Lui Che Woo Clinical Sciences Building, Prince of Wales Hospital, 30-32 Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, Hong Kong, SAR, China

    Terry Cheuk-Fung Yip, Jimmy Che-To Lai, Lilian Yan Liang, Vicki Wing-Ki Hui, Vincent Wai-Sun Wong & Grace Lai-Hung Wong

  3. Medical Data Analytics Centre (MDAC), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China

    Terry Cheuk-Fung Yip, Jimmy Che-To Lai, Vicki Wing-Ki Hui, Vincent Wai-Sun Wong & Grace Lai-Hung Wong

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All authors were responsible for the interpretation of data and critical revision of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Grace Lai-Hung Wong.

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Conflict of Interest

Terry Yip has served as an advisory committee member and a speaker for Gilead Sciences.

Vincent Wong has served as a consultant or advisory committee member for AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Echosens, Gilead Sciences, Intercept, Inventiva, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, ProSciento, Sagimet Biosciences, and TARGET PharmaSolutions and a speaker for Abbott, AbbVie, Echosens, Gilead Sciences, and Novo Nordisk. He has received a research grant from Gilead Sciences and is a cofounder of Illuminatio Medical Technology Limited.

Grace Wong has served as an advisory committee member for Gilead Sciences and Janssen and as a speaker for Abbott, Abbvie, Ascletis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Echosens, Gilead Sciences, Janssen, and Roche. She has also received a research grant from Gilead Sciences.

Other authors declared that they have no competing interests.

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Yip, T.CF., Lai, J.CT., Liang, L.Y. et al. Risk of HCC in Patients with HBV, Role of Antiviral Treatment. Curr Hepatology Rep 21, 76–86 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-022-00588-y

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