Patients treated for hepatitis C have higher recurrence rate of liver cancer

Patients with a prior history of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C (HCV) infection have a higher than expected early recurrence rate of their liver cancer, a new study has shown.

The study, which has been fast-tracked for publication in the Journal of Hepatology, was conducted by the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Group, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, CIBEREHD, and University of Barcelona, Spain.

Liver cancer accounts for 662,000 deaths and is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with HCC being the most common form, according to the World Health Organisation. 

Professor Jordi Bruix, joint lead author of the study, said: "Our data, even though from a relatively small number of patients, are so striking that it clearly signals we must exercise caution in the use of these agents in such patients, at least until data from further large-scale assessments are available."

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