In April 2017 this news report, “The Link Between Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy for Hepatitis C Virus and Liver Cancer Risk Continues To Be Debated”, was published on the PracticeUpdate website.

This recent report draws upon eight new medical studies which were presented at the International Liver Congress 2017, from April 19 to 23, 2017, in Amsterdam.

By means of the following excerpt from this report we get an update on the possible association between Sovaldi and Harvoni with liver cancer recurrence or return:

While remarkable progress has been made in the development of successful antiviral therapies for hepatitis C virus infection, recent studies suggest that curing patients of their hepatitis C virus does not eliminate their risk of developing liver cancer. An unexpectedly high rate of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence is becoming apparent in patients whose tumor was treated successfully and had received direct-acting antiviral drugs.

The claim was further supported by a study led by Maria Reig, MD, of the Hospital Clinic Barcelona. Patients with hepatitis C virus and hepatocellular carcinoma who had been cured of hepatocellular carcinoma and received direct-acting antiviral therapy experienced a hepatocellular cancer recurrence rate of 31.2% (24/77). Of those who received treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma at recurrence, 30% (6 of 20) of patients presented progression in the immediate 6-month follow-up.

Dr. Reig said, “Our study results offer further support to previous findings of an unexpectedly high recurrence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with direct-acting antiviral drugs. This association may result in a more aggressive pattern of recurrence and faster tumor progression. The data indicate that further research is needed to clarify the mechanism for the association between liver cancer recurrence and direct-acting antiviral therapy.”

This April 2017 news report also pointed out that several other medical studies presented at the same conference in Amsterdam suggested there is no link between Sovaldi or Harvoni use and liver cancer returning.

Accordingly, the issue of whether liver cancer recurrence is associated with Harvoni, Sovaldi, or other direct-acting antiviral” (DAA) hepatitis C drugs has not been definitively determined but, rather, remains under debate in the medical realm.

We will continue to monitor the medical literature for reports relevant to the safety profile of Harvoni and Sovaldi, as well as other “Hep-C” drugs in the DAA class, such as Viekira Pak, Technivie, Olysio, Daklinza, Epclusa, and Zepatier.

[Read this article in full at original source]

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Harvoni / Sovaldi

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