Is a stricter colonoscopy screening protocol necessary in liver transplant recipients? Comparison with an average-risk population.

Background: The epidemiology of colorectal neoplasm in liver transplantation recipients has not been fully determined.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of colorectal neoplasm in liver transplantation recipients and to compare it with that in the average-risk population.

Design: This study was retrospective and observational.

Clinical course of chronic hepatitis B patients who were off-treated after lamivudine treatment: analysis of 138 consecutive patients.

Background/aims: Little is known about the long-term outcome of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who discontinued antiviral therapy. We intended to analyze the long-term outcome of CHB patients who discontinued lamivudine therapy and to evaluate predictors for post-treatment outcome.

Material/methods: From 2007 to 2008, 138 lamivudine off-treated CHB patients with alanine aminotransferase normalization were consecutively enrolled.

Suppressive effects of entecavir on hepatitis B virus and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aim: We investigated the efficacy and effectiveness of entecavir in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Methods: We enrolled 231 nucleoside-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients primarily treated with entecavir 0.5 mg/day for at least 6 months in our institution.

Sigmoid colon metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem worldwide, and it has a poor prognosis. Extrahepatic metastasis from HCC is not unusual, with direct invasion representing the main spreading mode. Sites that are frequently involved are the lung, bone, and lymph nodes.

Clinical outcome of 251 patients with extrahepatic metastasis at initial diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: does transarterial chemoembolization improve survival in these patients?

Background And Aims: The therapeutic efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has not been evaluated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with extrahepatic metastasis. We investigated the efficacy of TACE with/without systemic chemotherapy (s-chemo) in these patients.

Methods: We performed a survival analysis of consecutive HCC patients with extrahepatic metastasis, diagnosed at initial presentation according to treatment modality after stratification, using the Child-Pugh classification and intrahepatic HCC T stage, retrospectively.

Cholestyramine resin for erythropoietic protoporphyria with severe hepatic disease: a case report.

Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is a rare disorder of heme biosynthesis caused by mutations in the gene encoding the enzyme ferrochelatase. In EPP, deficient ferrochelatase activity leads to the excessive production and biliary excretion of protoporphyrin (PP). The major clinical features of EPP are photosensitivity and hepatobiliary disease that may progress to severe liver disease, that are caused by the toxicity of PP.