Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis: Advanced Diagnosis and Management
A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 6665
Special Issue Editors
Interests: hepatocellular carcinoma; hepatitis C virus; liver disease
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Although the universal hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination program has been successfully implemented for almost three decades in many countries, most HBV-related hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) occur in unvaccinated middle-aged and elderly adults. It has been simulated that treating 80% of eligible people could reduce HBV-related deaths by 65% in a short time. However, only 2.2% of CHB patients receive antiviral therapies globally. HBV markers related to HCC occurrence and prevention are as follows. HCC risk is highest with a baseline HBV DNA 6–7 log copies/mL and lowest with a baseline HBV DNA level > 8 log copies/mL and ≤ 4 log copies/mL. (not linear but parabolic pattern). The titer of HBV core-related antigen (HBcrAg) reflecting the amount of HBV covalently closed circular DNA (ccc DNA) in the liver is related to HCC occurrence. Sero clearance of HBs antigen (HBsAg) is more crucial than HBV DNA negativity for the prevention of HCC. In terms of secondary prevention of hepatitis B-related HCC with antiviral therapies with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs), there are still unsolved discussions including the definition of the immune-tolerant phase, the optimal time to start the antiviral therapies with NAs, limitations of elevated aminotransferase (ALT) level as a criterion for treatment in CHB patients, normalization of ALT with NAs and risk of HCC, and serum HBV levels and the risk of HCC. In addition, the first-line therapies with NAs such as entecavir (ETV), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) remains to be clarified. Therefore, we discuss recent findings of HBV markers related to HCC occurrence and prevention, and unsolved discussions and review the secondary current antiviral therapies for the prevention of HBV-related HCC.
Dr. Soo Ryang Kim
Dr. Soo Ki Kim
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- hepatitis B virus
- hepatocellular carcinoma
- nucleos(t)ide analogues
- secondly prevention
- HBV DNA
- immune-tolerant phase
- hepatitis B virus surface antigen
- hepatitis B virus core-related antigen
- covalently closed circular DNA
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