Long-Term Outcomes and Evaluation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence after Hepatitis C Virus Eradication by Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment: All Kagawa Liver Disease Group (AKLDG) Study.

There are limited studies that have evaluated the long-term outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment. In this retrospective study, we aimed to investigate the recurrence rates, recurrence factors, and prognosis of 130 patients who were treated with IFN-free DAA treatment after treatment for HCC. The median observation time was 41 ± 13.

Peg-IFNα-2a Contributed to HBs Antigen Seroclearance in a Patient with Chronic Hepatitis B Administered Nucleic Acid Analogs: A Three-year Follow-up.

We treated a 51-year-old Japanese man with chronic hepatitis B (viral load 7.6 LC/mL, genotype C). Hepatitis B virus DNA and HBe antigen were undetectable during the administration of the nucleic acid analogs (NUCs) lamivudine and adefovir, although the concentration of HBs antigen (HBsAg) was 851.

A case report of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-producing hepatocellular carcinoma that recurred after long-term complete response.

The granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a glycoprotein that stimulates cell proliferation and differentiation of precursor cells in the bone marrow. Several cases of G-CSF-producing malignant tumors in various organs have been reported, but there are only nine cases of G-CSF-producing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) reported in the English literature. G-CSF-producing tumors grow rapidly and have a high probability of distant metastases; thus, they generally have a poor prognosis.

L-carnitine reduces hospital admissions in patients with hepatic encephalopathy.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether oral L-carnitine administration reduces the blood ammonia concentration and number of hospital admissions for hepatic encephalopathy in patients with advanced cirrhosis.

Methods: Of 68 patients with hepatic encephalopathy treated with oral L-carnitine supplementation from April 2013 to March 2016, we enrolled 19 patients who had received full standard treatment. We analyzed blood ammonia concentration, number of hospital admissions, and prognosis to determine how effective L-carnitine was in achieving mid-term to long-term suppression of recurrent hepatic encephalopathy.

Identification of microRNA associated with the elimination of hepatitis C virus genotype 1b by direct-acting antiviral therapies.

Background And Aim: Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies have been proven to be highly effective for the eradication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) without resistance-associated substitutions (RASs). However, even in cases with no detected RASs, treatment sometimes fails, suggestive of the existence of some host-related factors involved in HCV eradication by DAAs. To explore such factors, we analyzed the serum microRNAs (miRNAs) of patients who received DAA treatment.

Simple scoring system for prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence after hepatitis C virus eradication by direct-acting antiviral treatment: All Kagawa Liver Disease Group Study.

Direct acting antivirals (DAA) have recently been developed to treat patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and interferon-free DAA treatment has improved the cure rate of patients. However, the occurrence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following HCV eradication remains unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify predictors of HCC occurrence following DAA treatment.

Serum microRNA-125a-5p as a potential biomarker of HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

During diagnosis of early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), single or small lesions are difficult to identify using screening ultrasonography, and conventional tumor markers are frequently negative. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that suppress the translation of target mRNAs and exert significance as biomarkers. The aim of the present study was to use samples of patients with HCC and those with other liver diseases caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to investigate the expression profile of serum miRNAs, and identify a miRNA that can serve as a HCC biomarker.

Complement Component 3 as a Surrogate Hallmark for Metabolic Abnormalities in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C.

Objective: We investigated the correlation between serum complement component 3 (C3) levels and metabolic and histological abnormalities in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH-C).

Methods: Obesity and insulin resistance were estimated by calculating body mass index (BMI) and the values of the homeostasis model for assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), respectively. Severity of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis were evaluated by New Inuyama Classification and the classification proposed by Brunt and colleagues, respectively.

Clinical efficacy of free androgen index, a surrogate hallmark of circulating free testosterone level, in male patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease.

The role of free testosterone, that not bound to sex hormone-binding globulin, in male patients with HCV infection remains uncertain. We investigated whether free testosterone is involved in the progression to hepatic fibrosis/steatosis or insulin resistance in male patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease or not. Free androgen indices, which reflect circulating free testosterone levels, were calculated as 100 × total testosterone levels/sex hormone-binding globulin levels in 30 male patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease.

Circulating microRNA-636 is associated with the elimination of hepatitis C virus by ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes sustained inflammation and fibrosis. Several oral direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) including ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir (OBV/PTV/r) were recently developed for HCV elimination. The combination of DAAs brought a higher sustained viral response (SVR) rate to anti-HCV therapy compared to interferon (IFN)-based regimens.

Grazoprevir/elbasvir treatment for the relapse of HCV genotype 1b infection after ledipasvir/sofosbuvir: A case report.

The treatment of chronic hepatitis C has radically changed due to the development of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). Twelve-week treatment with ledipasvir and sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF), a combination of DAAs, is highly effective in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection. However, the overall sustained virological response rate 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR12) is not 100%.

Targeted sequencing of cancer-associated genes in hepatocellular carcinoma using next-generation sequencing.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Although the clinical success rate for the treatment of early-stage HCC has improved, the prognosis of advanced HCC remains poor owing to the high recurrence rate and the refractory nature of HCC for various anticancer drugs. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of HCC is therefore critically needed in order to treat HCC, including its genetic alterations.

Severe Steroid-responsive Skin Disorders Related to Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir for HCV.

Combination therapy with ledipasvir and sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF), direct-acting antiviral agents, is highly effective against hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection. Although LDV/SOF is safer than conventional treatment, reports have indicated that LDV/SOF was discontinued in certain cases due to severe skin disorders. A 68-year-old woman presented with a rash after starting LDV/SOF treatment.

Telmisartan inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation in vitro by inducing cell cycle arrest.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the liver and the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Telmisartan, a widely used antihypertensive drug, is an angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor blocker (ARB) that might inhibit cancer cell proliferation, but the mechanisms through which telmisartan affects various cancers remain unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of telmisartan on human HCC and to assess the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs).

Induction of apoptosis by Galectin-9 in liver metastatic cancer cells: In vitro study.

Liver metastasis from gastrointestinal cancer defines a patient's prognosis. Despite medical developments, pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis confers a very poor prognosis. Galectin-9 (Gal‑9) is a tandem-repeat-type galectin that has recently been demonstrated to exert antitumor effects on various types of cancer cells by inducing apoptosis.

Correlation between serum galectin-9 levels and liver fibrosis.

Background And Aim: Chronic liver diseases progress from chronic inflammation to fibrosis to tumorigenesis. Galectin-9, a β-galactoside-specific animal lectin, is indicated to contribute to all three steps of progression. The aim of this study was to determine which of the three steps was most dominant in elevating the serum galectin-9 concentration and to test the possibility of galectin-9 as a serum biomarker.

Galectin‑9 ameliorates fulminant liver injury.

Fulminant hepatitis is a severe liver disease resulting in hepatocyte necrosis. Galectin‑9 (Gal‑9) is a tandem‑repeat‑type galectin that has been evaluated as a potential therapeutic agent for various diseases that regulate the host immune system. Concanavalin A (ConA) injection into mice results in serious, immune‑mediated liver injury similar to human viral, autoimmune and fulminant hepatitis.

MicroRNA profile of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: A case report.

A 72-year-old female was referred for further evaluation of epigastralgia. Abdominal contrast computed tomography revealed numerous tumors in the two lobes of the liver. Liver biopsy and immunohistochemical staining revealed that the tumor cells were positive for factor VIII-associated antigen, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 and human hematopoietic progenitor cell antigen, concordant with a diagnosis of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEH).

Cancer Therapy Due to Apoptosis: Galectin-9.

Dysregulation of apoptosis is a major hallmark in cancer biology that might equip tumors with a higher malignant potential and chemoresistance. The anti-cancer activities of lectin, defined as a carbohydrate-binding protein that is not an enzyme or antibody, have been investigated for over a century. Recently, galectin-9, which has two distinct carbohydrate recognition domains connected by a linker peptide, was noted to induce apoptosis in thymocytes and immune cells.

Metformin-suppressed differentiation of human visceral preadipocytes: Involvement of microRNAs.

Visceral adipose tissue contributes to the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome. Metformin has been reported to suppress lipogenesis in a murine preadipocyte cell line. However, the effect of metformin on the differentiation of human visceral adipose tissue remains unknown.

MicroRNA profiles in various hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Although surgery is considered the most effective treatment for patients with HCC, its indication is restricted by limited criteria and a high relapse rate following surgery; therefore, systemic chemotherapy is required for patients with advanced-stage HCC to prolong their survival. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding RNAs of 18-22 nucleotides in length.

Identification of microRNA profiles associated with refractory primary biliary cirrhosis.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, endogenous, non-coding RNAs that control the target gene translation by RNA interference; miRNAs are associated with cellular processes, including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and cell survival. Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of unknown etiology. One third of patients with PBC demonstrate suboptimal responses, which result in worse outcomes.

Diabetes mellitus and metformin in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Diabetes mellitus, a risk factor for cancer, is also globally endemic. The clinical link between these two diseases has been the subject of investigation for a century, and diabetes mellitus has been established as a risk factor for HCC.

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor: A case report.

We herein present a case of an 87-year-old patient with multiple liver tumors identified on abdominal ultrasound. The assessment performed on admission included physical examination, computed tomography (CT) during hepatic angiography and CT during arterial portography. The examination revealed contrast enhancement of a proportion of the liver tumors (20 mm maximum diameter) during the arterial phase and mild contrast washout of those tumors during the delayed phase.