Meta-Analysis
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Hepatol. Jan 27, 2021; 13(1): 144-150
Published online Jan 27, 2021. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v13.i1.144
Effectiveness of entecavir in preventing hepatocellular carcinoma development is genotype-dependent in hepatitis B virus-associated liver cirrhosis
Kazuo Tarao, Akito Nozaki, Makoto Chuma, Masataka Taguri, Shin Maeda
Kazuo Tarao, Department of Gastroenterology, Tarao’s Gastroenterological Clinic, Yokohama City 241-0821, Japan
Akito Nozaki, Makoto Chuma, Gastroenterological Center, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama 232-0024, Japan
Masataka Taguri, Department of Data Science, Yokohama City University School of Data Science, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan
Shin Maeda, Division of Gastroenterology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan
Author contributions: Tarao K summarized the data and wrote the paper; Nozaki A, Chuma M, and Maeda S were involved in the interpretation of data, and the development and critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content; Taguri M conducted the statistical analysis.
Supported by the Kanagawa Association of Medical and Dental Practitioners.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Nozaki A has received research funding from Gilead Sciences and Abb Vie. Tarao K, Chuma M, Maeda S, Taguri M declare that they have no conflict of interest.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Kazuo Tarao, MD, PhD, Director, Department of Gastroenterology, Tarao’s Gastroenterological Clinic, 2-58-6, Taiyo Building Futamatagawa, Asahi-ku, Yokohama 241-0821, Japan. duoluoweih7@gmail.com
Received: August 31, 2020
Peer-review started: August 31, 2020
First decision: November 3, 2020
Revised: November 16, 2020
Accepted: November 28, 2020
Article in press: November 28, 2020
Published online: January 27, 2021
Processing time: 148 Days and 9 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

The oral nucleos(t)ide analogue, entecavir (ETV) was demonstrated to reduce the rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated liver cirrhosis. However, the reduction in HCC is different in various countries of the world.

Research motivation

The relationship between the reduction of HCC and HBV genotypes is interesting.

Research objectives

We surveyed the differences in the reduction of HCC development following ETV administration in many countries.

Research methods

We surveyed the differences in the reduction of HCC development following long-term administration of ETV based on already published articles using PubMed (2004-2019).

Research results

The countries which showed the greatest reduction in HCC development following ETV administration were Spain, Canada, and most ineffective countries or regions were South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. With ETV administration, the incidence of HCC in genotype D regions was significantly lower than that in genotype C regions. The initial HBV-DNA levels in genotype C patients was almost the same as that in genotype D patients. No relationship was observed between the prevalence ratio of HBV and the incidence of HCC following ETV treatment.

Research conclusions

The effectiveness of ETV in preventing HCC development in HBV-associated liver cirrhosis is genotype-dependent.

Research perspectives

In countries with low effectiveness of ETV in the prevention of HCC development, frequent surveillance using imaging modalities will be necessary.