Though research results to date are not entirely
consistent, several studies have found that people with chronic
hepatitis C are at higher risk for malignant lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease and
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, or NHL).
As reported in the December 2007 American
Journal of Medicine, Japanese researchers performed a retrospective study
to determine the incidence of malignant lymphoma and the relationship between
lymphoma and HCV clearance with treatment. The analysis included 501 consecutive
chronic hepatitis C patients who had not undergone interferon-based
therapy and 2708 patients who had received treatment.
Results
•
In the untreated group,
the cumulative incidence rates for malignant lymphoma were 0.6% at 5 years, 2.3%
at 10 years, and 2.6% at 15 years.
•
Among interferon-treated
patients with persistent HCV infection, the respective cumulative incidence
rates were 0.4%, 1.5%, and 2.6%.
•
Among interferon-treated
patients who achieved sustained virological response (SVR), the lymphoma incidence
rate was 0% at all 3 time points.
•
The malignant lymphoma
incidence rate was lower for the 1048 patients who achieved SVR than for those
with persistent HCV infection (P = 0.0159), and the hazard ratio was also significantly
lower (HR 0.13; P = 0.049).
Conclusion
"Our
retrospective study is the first to determine the annual incidence of malignant
lymphoma among patients with HCV at 0.23%," the investigators concluded.
"Our results indicate that sustained virologic response induced by interferon
therapy protects against the development of malignant lymphoma in patients with
chronic HCV."
01/25/08
Reference Y
Kawamura, K Ikeda, Y Arase, and others. Viral elimination reduces incidence of
malignant lymphoma in patients with hepatitis C. American Journal of Medicine
120(12): 1034-1041. December 2007.
