Study: Liver Cancer Is Increasingly Common With HIV/HCV Coinfection

The incidence of liver cancer in patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV increased between 2001 and 2014, while that of other liver events declined, according to the results of a recent study.

For their study, the researchers examined data from 6 prospective cohorts from 2001 to 2014, including data on 7229 HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals.
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During follow-up, 72 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 375 other liver events occurred. The rate of HCC increased by 11% per year, and the rate of other liver events fell by 4%. Older age, cirrhosis, and low current CD4⁺ cell count were associated with higher risk of HCC and other liver events.

In individuals with cirrhosis, the incidence of HCC was 7.9 cases per 1000 person-years compared with 0.5 per 1000 person-years in individuals without cirrhosis. The incidence of other liver events in those with cirrhosis was 35.6 per 1000 person-years compared with 2.4 per 1000 person-years for those without cirrhosis.

“In HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals, the crude incidence of HCC increased from 2001 to 2014, while other liver events declined. Individuals with cirrhosis or low current CD4 cell count are at highest risk of developing HCC or other liver events,” the authors wrote.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Gjærde LI, Shepherd L, Jablonowska E, et al. Trends in incidences and risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma and other liver events in HIV and hepatitis C virus-coinfected individuals from 2001 to 2014: a multicohort study [published online June 15, 2016]. Clin Infect Dis. doi:10.1093/cid/ciw380.