Early initiation of antiviral therapy reduces the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in individuals with chronic hepatitis B virus infection
10.3969/j.issn.1001-5256.2023.01.005
- VernacularTitle:尽早启动抗病毒治疗降低慢性HBV感染者肝细胞癌发生风险
- Author:
Zhao ZHOU
1
;
Abulaiti ABUDUREXITI
1
;
Zhiqiang GU
1
;
Jing CHANG
1
;
Xin LIU
1
;
Fengmin LU
1
,
2
Author Information
1. Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
2. Hepatology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China
- Publication Type:Discussions by Experts
- Keywords:
Hepatitis B virus;
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular;
Nucleos(t)ide Analogs;
Therapeutics
- From:
Journal of Clinical Hepatology
2023;39(1):31-36
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major cause of viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). From chronic HBV infection to HCC, most patients go through the stages of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and HCC. During this long process, the ongoing integration of HBV DNA into host DNA increases the risk of HCC, and the death and compensatory proliferation of hepatocytes caused by persistent liver inflammation may promote the accumulation of oncogenic mutations and finally lead to the malignant transformation of hepatocytes. Currently, nucleos(t)ide analogues are widely used anti-HBV drugs, which controls infection by inhibiting HBV replication and can thus effectively slow down disease progression and end-stage liver disease; however, anti-HBV therapy often starts late and has a relatively low treatment rate, and there is still a tendency of increase in the incidence rate of HBV-related HCC. Therefore, how to improve current antiviral strategies to further reduce the risk of HBV-related end-stage liver disease including HCC has become a hotspot in clinical practice. This article summarizes the previous studies supporting the expansion of antiviral therapy and suggests that antiviral therapy should be initiated as early as possible to inhibit viral replication and the sequential events of HBV DNA integration and ultimately reduce the risk of HCC in patients with chronic HBV infection.
