Prior decompensation and older age increases HCC risk among cirrhosis patients after HCV infection

2. An increased risk of HCC was linked to older age and preceding decompensation in a meta-regression study of individuals with cirrhosis.

3. A lower incidence of HCC was linked to longer follow-up following HCV cure.

In conclusion, the Authors found that HCC incidence in cirrhosis warrants cost-effective screening, but it also suggests that the incidence is declining over time, being least in patients with compensated cirrhosis and younger age. The incidence of HCC is significantly lower and below suggested levels for widespread HCC screening in individuals with F3 fibrosis and HCV cure. It is obvious that a more accurate diagnosis of individuals at risk for HCC following HCV cure will have important consequences for cost-effectiveness and resource usage.

The findings should stimulate the creation of validated prediction algorithms that can more accurately pinpoint those who are at risk, particularly in patients with F3 fibrosis. These findings ought to promote collaboration in order to carry out a sizable multicenter cohort research evaluating HCC risk over time following HCV cure.

Reference:

Lockart, I., Yeo, M. G. H., Hajarizadeh, B., Dore, G. J., Danta, M., Abe, K., Carrat, F., Lusivika‐Nzinga, C., Degasperi, E., Di Marco, V., Hou, J., Howell, J., Janjua, N. Z., Lok, A. S., Wei, L., … Tsai, P. (2022). HCC incidence after hepatitis C cure among patients with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis: A meta‐analysis. In Hepatology (Vol. 76, Issue 1, pp. 139–154). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.32341