Published online Dec 21, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i47.8861
Revised: October 29, 2013
Accepted: November 28, 2013
Published online: December 21, 2013
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignancy and the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus accounts for approximately 75%-80% of HCC cases worldwide. In particular, chronic HBV infection is a predominant risk factor for HCC in Asia and Africa. Hepatic resection and radiofrequency ablation are increasingly used for the curative treatment of HCC, and good local control can be achieved. However, the high rate of recurrence is a major obstacle to improving prognosis. A high viral load of HBV DNA is the most important correctable risk factor for recurrence. Furthermore, interferon and/or nucleotide analogues may decrease HBV DNA. Therefore, these drugs may decrease recurrence. In this article, treatment strategies for HBV-related HCC are described in order to reduce recurrence and improve survival.
Core tip: Recent advances in treatment modalities have improved the survival rate of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC has a much higher recurrence rate. In this article, we describe strategies for reducing recurrent HCC using anti-viral therapy for HBV infection.