[Therapeutic effect and prognosis of interferon therapy after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis B virus].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of interferon therapy after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis B virus. METHODS: Sixty-two patients with advanced primary hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis B virus was randomly divided into 2 groups. Thirty-one cases were treated with TACE and Interferon. Thirty-one cases with TACE only. HBV DNA, clinical effect, intrahepatic tumor recurrence rate and survival rate were studied. RESULTS: Of the 31 patients in TACE+IFN group, 17 (54.8%) were negative for HBV DNA at the end of treatment. None of TACE group was negative for HBV DNA. The intrahepatic tumor recurrence rate at 1 year and 2 years in TACE+IFN group was 16.1%, 29.0%, compared with 38.7%, 61.3% in TACE group (chi-square = 3.97, chi-square 6.51, P < 0.05). The survival rate in the former was 83.9% and 74.2% respectively, compared with that of 61.3% and 38.7% in the latter (chi-square = 3.97, chi-square = 7.94, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Interferon therapy after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization resulted low recurrence and long survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis B virus. This method showed fewer side effects and should be recommended.