Predictors of Immediate Deterioration of the Child-Pugh Classification From A to B After Transcatheter Arterial Chemo-Embolization for Treatment-Naive Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictors of deterioration of the Child-Pugh classification 1 month after transcatheter arterial chemo-embolization (TACE) in patients with treatment-naive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Between 2010 and 2020, consecutive patients who underwent conventional TACE using epirubicin as the initial treatment were enrolled. Patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage-0, A or B and Child-Pugh class A were included.

Hepatitis B surface antigen glycan isomer is a predictor of the development of hepatocellular carcinoma during nucleoside/nucleotide analog therapy.

Aim: A recombinant monoclonal antibody against the hepatitis B surface antigen glycan isomer (HBsAgGi) was newly developed using the O-glycosylated PreS2 peptide in M-HBsAg of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C. However, the association between HBsAgGi and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during nucleoside/nucleotide analog (NA) therapy remains unknown.

Methods: A total of 112 HBV genotype C-infected patients who were treated with NA were included in this study.

Recent Advances in the Pathogenesis and Clinical Evaluation of Portal Hypertension in Chronic Liver Disease.

In chronic liver disease, hepatic stellate cell activation and degeneration of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells lead to structural changes, which are secondary to fibrosis and the presence of regenerative nodules in the sinusoids, and to functional changes, which are related to vasoconstriction. The combination of such changes increases intrahepatic vascular resistance and causes portal hypertension. The subsequent increase in splanchnic and systemic hyperdynamic circulation further increases the portal blood flow, thereby exacerbating portal hypertension.

Severity of Liver Fibrosis Is Associated with the Japanese Diet Pattern and Skeletal Muscle Mass in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

It is not fully clear as to which dietary patterns are associated with the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Asia. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 136 consecutively recruited patients with NAFLD (49% female, median age 60 years). Severity of liver fibrosis was assessed using the Agile 3+ score, a recently proposed system based on vibration-controlled transient elastography.

A case of hepatocellular carcinoma with "pseudoprogression" followed by complete response to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab.

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo + Bev) is the first immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and in the current guidelines, it is positioned as the first-line chemotherapy for unresectable cases. Herein, we report a case of HCC with pseudoprogression followed by a complete response to Atezo + Bev. A 56 year-old man was diagnosed with intermediate-stage HCC, as defined by the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer system stage B.

Short-term hepatocyte function and portal hypertension outcomes of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for decompensated hepatitis C-related cirrhosis.

Background: It is unclear whether hepatocyte function and/or portal hypertension improves if a sustained virologic response (SVR) is achieved with direct-acting antivirals in patients with decompensated hepatitis C-related cirrhosis.

Methods: We examined the safety and efficacy of a 12-week course of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) in 20 patients with decompensated hepatitis C-related cirrhosis. We also investigated changes in the hepatocyte receptor index (LHL15) and blood clearance index (HH15) by Tc-99 m-galactosyl human serum albumin scintigraphy, liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography, and hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) in patients who achieved an SVR at 24 weeks after treatment (SVR24).

Risk factors for liver-related and non-liver-related mortality following a sustained virological response after direct-acting antiviral treatment for hepatitis C virus infection in a real-world cohort.

A direct-acting antiviral (DAA)-induced sustained virological response (SVR) reduces the risk of mortality. However, the risk factors associated with liver-related and non-liver-related mortality following a SVR after DAA treatment are unclear. We assessed the incidence and risk factors of liver-related and non-liver-related mortality in 1180 patients who achieved a SVR after DAA treatment.

Efficacy of rechallenge transcatheter arterial chemoembolization after lenvatinib treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aim: We evaluated the efficacy of rechallenge transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) after lenvatinib (LEN) treatment in patients with previous TACE failure/refractoriness.

Methods: We enrolled 63 consecutive patients with a history of TACE failure/refractoriness prior to LEN treatment as a first-line systemic therapy. We reviewed the clinical backgrounds and courses of the patients.

Clinical evaluation of [F]pitavastatin for quantitative analysis of hepatobiliary transporter activity.

It is widely accepted that uptake and efflux transporters on clearance organs play crucial roles in drug disposition. Although in vitro transporter assay system can identify the intrinsic properties of the target transporters, it is not so easy to precisely predict in vivo pharmacokinetic parameters from in vitro data. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is a useful tool to directly assess the activity of drug transporters in humans.

Soluble programmed cell death-1 predicts hepatocellular carcinoma development during nucleoside analogue treatment.

Soluble immune checkpoint molecules are emerging novel mediators of immune regulation. However, it is unclear whether soluble immune checkpoint proteins affect the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. This study included 122 NA-naïve patients who received NA therapy.

Direct-acting antivirals reduce the risk of tumour progression of hepatocellular carcinoma after curative treatment.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has high recurrence rates. HCC sometimes progresses from early-stage HCC (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer [BCLC] stage 0/A) to advanced-stage HCC after repeated recurrences and treatments. HCC progression deteriorates quality of life and prognosis.

Per-rectal portal scintigraphy as an alternative measure of hepatic venous pressure gradient in chronic liver disease: A preliminary report.

Aim: Hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement is a gold standard for the diagnosis of portal hypertension but can be invasive and difficult to conduct. Per-rectal portal scintigraphy (PRPS) can estimate portal haemodynamics noninvasively. However, no report to date has examined the association between HVPG and PRPS in patients with chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis.

High dropout rate from aftercare program of antihepatitis C therapy for patients with history of injection drug use.

Background And Aim: We assessed direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and a history of injection drug use (IDU) in Japan.

Method: This retrospective observational study was based on clinical records. Overall, 804 DAA-naïve HCV-infected patients were enrolled, treated with a 12-week regimen of DAAs, and had available information about a history of IDU.

Lenvatinib-Induced Tumor-Related Hemorrhages in Patients with Large Hepatocellular Carcinomas.

Introduction: Lenvatinib has been approved as a systemic therapy for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We recently experienced lenvatinib-induced tumor-related hemorrhage in patients with HCC. The full details of tumor-related hemorrhage as a lenvatinib-related adverse event have not been elucidated.

Early Change in the Plasma Levels of Circulating Soluble Immune Checkpoint Proteins in Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated by Lenvatinib or Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, combined with anti-angiogenic agents or locoregional treatments (e.g., transarterial chemoembolization (TACE)), are expected to become standard-of-care for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Serum Mac-2-binding protein glycosylation isomer predicts esophagogastric varices in cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection treated with IFN-free direct-acting antiviral agent: M2BPGi levels predict varices in SVR patients.

Introduction And Objectives: We examined whether Mac-2-binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) levels could be a predictive marker for the presence of esophagogastric varices (EGV) in cirrhotic patients after hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs).

Patients And Methods: A total of 102 cirrhotic patients with HCV infection treated with DAAs were enrolled. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed in 84 of the patients before treatment (Cohort A), in 66 after treatment (Cohort B), and in 48 at both time points (Cohort C).

Destructive thyroiditis presenting as thyrotoxicosis followed by hypothyroidism during lenvatinib therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hypothyroidism is a common adverse event of lenvatinib therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), whereas thyrotoxicosis has rarely been reported in clinical trials. A 74-year-old man complaining of abdominal pain was found to have liver tumors and paraaortic lymphadenopathy. The intrahepatic lesions were diagnosed as HCC by angiography and treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.

Interstitial pneumonia suspected during regorafenib administration and exacerbated by subsequent therapy with lenvatinib for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Recently, three tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have become available for treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We herein report a case of a 59-year-old man with interstitial pneumonia that was suspected during regorafenib administration and was exacerbated by subsequent lenvatinib treatment for advanced HCC. After sorafenib was discontinued due to progressive HCC, regorafenib treatment was started.

Heterogeneous liver uptake of Tc-99m-GSA as quantified through SPECT/CT helps to evaluate the degree of liver fibrosis: A retrospective observational study.

Tc-99m-galactosyl human serum albumin (GSA) scintigraphy is used to assess the hepatic functional reserve, and allows for visual assessment of the residual hepatocyte distribution on single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) images. The association between heterogeneous liver uptake of Tc-99m-GSA and liver fibrosis remains to be studied in detail. We analyzed this association.