Type C chronic hepatitis with the discovery of a small hepatocellular carcinoma 7 years after successful interferon therapy.

The patient, a 61-year-old man, had sustained injuries in a traffic accident at the age of 26, for which he received a blood transfusion. Since 1988 (age, 49 years), abnormal hepatic function had been detected, and, because of the presence of hepatitis C virus antibodies, he was diagnosed as having type C chronic hepatitis. Based on a liver biopsy that was conducted in July 1992 (age, 53), a histological diagnosis of chronic active hepatitis (F(1)/A(2)) was made.