Low-dose intermittent interferon-alpha therapy for HCV-related liver cirrhosis after curative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Figure 1 Schematic flow chart of enrolled patients.

Figure 2 A: Clinical course of the interferon group. Patients who had a curative treatment for primary HCC received 3 MIU of natural interferon-alpha three times weekly for at least 48 wk as long as possible except Cases 12, 14 and 16. Recurrent HCCs were treated with or without curative treatment; B: Clinical course of the non-interferon group. Patients who had a curative treatment of primary HCC did not receive IFN therapy. Recurrent HCCs were also treated with or without curative treatment.

Figure 3 A: Cumulative rate of first recurrence. Rates of first recurrence for the IFN and non-IFN groups. The rate of first recurrence of HCC in the IFN group was not significantly different from that of the non-IFN group (P = 0.157); B: Cumulative rate of second recurrence. Rates of second recurrence for the IFN and non-IFN group. The rate of second recurrence of HCC in the IFN group was not significantly different from that of the non-IFN group (P = 0.056).

Figure 4 Effect of IFN therapy after curative treatment of HCC on Child-Pugh scores. IFN-treated patients were less likely to show deterioration of hepatic function. The average scores of Child-Pugh of the IFN group were significantly better preserved than the non-IFN group (P = 0.0008).

Figure 5 Cumulative rate of deviation from objects of any treatment of recurrent HCC. Recurrent HCC tended to be treatable later in the IFN group than non-IFN group (P = 0.048).

Figure 6 Cumulative survival rate. Comparison of the cumulative survival rates of the IFN and non-IFN groups. The cumulative survival rate was not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.45).