Management of hepatocellular carcinoma, an important cause of death in Japanese autoimmune hepatitis patients.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) was considered rare but is increasing with prolonged prognosis. Its impact on the overall prognosis of AIH is unknown, and treatment has not been established.

Aim: To investigate the risk factors and prognosis of HCC in patients with AIH and identify appropriate management strategies.

Methods: We studied patients with AIH including background liver disease, sex, age, complications, treatment, response to treatment, liver fibrosis, prognosis, and treatment.

Results: In 131 patients, deaths due to liver failure were more common early after the onset of AIH; however, deaths due to HCC increased gradually. HCC was observed in 12 patients (median age, 70 years; male/female, 4/8; cirrhosis at onset, 11; median time to carcinogenesis, 7 years). Cirrhosis at diagnosis was identified as a risk factor for carcinogenesis in the multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 41.36; p < 0.0001) and cumulative cancer rates were high. Multidisciplinary therapy other than immune checkpoint inhibitors was administered as treatment for HCC. Two of the three patients who used molecular-targeted drugs discontinued the treatment because of adverse events.

Conclusion: HCC is an important cause of death in patients with AIH. Currently available drug therapies are limited and early detection is desirable.

Trial Registration: This trial was retrospectively registered in the Ethics Committee of Kagawa University School of Medicine under the identifier 2019 - 238, registered on 4 Feb 2020.