Antiviral therapy using lamivudine and thymosin alpha1 for hepatocellular carcinoma coexisting with chronic hepatitis B infection.
Shuqun. Cheng C; Mengchao. Wu W; Han. Chen C; Feng. Shen S; Jiahe. Yang Y; Wenming. Cong C; Zhengfeng. Yin Y; Yuxiang. Zhao Z; Peijun. Wang W
Key Findings
- HBV‑DNA was suppressed in 100% of treated patients versus 6% in controls (p=0.0016).
- HBeAg seroconversion occurred in 62.5% of treated patients versus 5.9% of controls (p=0.0157).
- Median tumor‑free interval increased from 5 to 7 months (p=0.0052); median survival rose from 7 to 10 months (p=0.10).
Practical Outcomes
- For people with liver cancer and active hepatitis B, adding lamivudine and thymosin‑alpha‑1 after surgery may improve viral control and modestly extend survival, but the evidence is limited to a tiny trial. The study doesn’t give dosing details, and benefits for healthy or non‑HBV users are unclear, so more research is needed before adopting it as a routine protocol.
Summary
In a small study of 33 liver‑cancer patients with active hepatitis B, those who got the antiviral drug lamivudine plus the immune‑boosting peptide thymosin‑alpha‑1 after surgery showed much better virus control, higher rates of a key antibody change, a slightly longer time before the cancer came back, and a modest increase in survival compared with surgery alone.
Abstract
To observe the recurrence and prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) coexisting with chronic hepatitis B infection with active virus replication after receiving antivirus therapy using lamivudine and thymosin alpha1 postoperatively. From Jan. 2000 to Dec. 2002, 33 patients with HCC coexisting chronic hepatitis B infection with active virus replication were prospectively divided into two groups: control group (n= 17) received hepatectomy only, treatment group (n= 16) received hepatectomy and lamivudine plus thymosin alpha1 therapy postoperatively. The suppression of HBV-DNA, HBeAg seroconverted rate, recurrent tumor rate and the median survival for the two groups were observed and calculated. For the treatment group and control group, the one-year HBV-DNA suppression rate was 100% vs. 6% (p=0.0016); HBeAg seroconverted rate was 62.5% vs. 5.9% (p=0.0157); The median recurrent time was 7.0 vs. 5.0 months (p=0.0052); The median survival period was 10.0 vs. 7.0 months (p=0.10053), respectively. Antivirus therapy using lamivudine and thymosin alpha1 postoperatively may suppress the HBV reaction, delay the recurrent time and prolong the survival for HCC patients coexisting with chronic HBV infection with active virus replication.
Study Information
pubmed
2006