Hepatology Communications | 2021
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk, Outcomes, and Screening After Hepatitis C Eradication
Abstract
It is now generally accepted that hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication substantially reduces the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), whether achieved by directacting antivirals (DAAs) available since 2014, or prior, interferonbased treatments.(1,2) It is also well established that HCC does occur even after sustained virologic response (SVR), especially in patients who had developed cirrhosis of advanced fibrosis before SVR. Critical questions that remain and are informed by the study by Toyoda et al.(3) are: a Is the natural history, biology, and response to treatment of HCC that occurs in the setting of cured HCV different from HCC that occurs in the setting of active HCV? and b What is the optimal HCC surveillance strategy after SVR?