Hepatitis C : less cancer with new treatments

bluebay2014/epictura

Published the 10.10.2017 at 13h08

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hepatitis Ccancer of the foieantiviral

The new treatments for hepatitis C are expensive. But the expense could well prove to be cost-effective in the long term. According to a study conducted by the Baylor College of Medicine (United States), antiviral drugs direct action (ADF) significantly improves the evolution of patients. The risk of developing liver cancer is greatly reduced, explain the work that was published in Gastroenterology.

Since their first arrival on the market, in 2014, the antiviral action directly are noted for their effectiveness. In 8 to 12 weeks, the hepatitis C virus is eliminated from the body in most patients. But a doubt remained : the impact of these treatments on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Indeed, hiv-infected patients are exposed to a risk much higher than the national average (see box).

No miracle

The use of new hepatitis C treatments could well change. According to the survey of 22 500 Americans infected, this support greatly reduces the risk of cancer of the liver.

In total, 19 500 participants have responded well to antiviral drugs, that is to say that the virus RNA was no longer detectable in their blood. And those are 70 % less risk of developing a carcinoma than those who have not responded to treatment. This preventive effect appears rapidly and its magnitude increases with time.

The researchers do caution : antiviral drugs direct action are not miracles. Patients with hepatitis C remain exposed to the risk of liver cancer. During the study, one hundred cases has been diagnosed among the volunteers of the study in which the treatment has been effective.