Expert Opinion: Early detection key for treating hepatitis C

[nygirl7]

Nothing especially exciting but I've always thought the earlier you treat the better since you haven't had time to blow out your liver yet nor experienced any symptoms (or hcc, cirrhosis etc).

http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/article1009343.ece

[newleaf09]

I like that 10% with cirrhosis getting all the way back to zero.  I've been extremely lucky up to this point, maybe I can squeeze into the 10% group!  Planning rebiopsy 12 mos. form now.

[nygirl7]

And this is from another article in the news today - interesting stuff for those of us with advanced liver damage and another great reason not to be afraid of treatment!
Some excerpts.
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http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/DDW/14532

CHICAGO, June 3 -- A single course of interferon-based therapy, with or without ribavirin, produces long-term improvements in liver histology in patients with hepatitis C (HCV) who completely clear the virus, researchers found

Patients who had a sustained virologic response had significant reductions in inflammation and fibrosis of the liver five or six years after receiving treatment, Mitchell Shiffman, M.D., of Virginia Commonwealth University, reported at Digestive Disease Week here.

..........Uncontrolled studies have shown that patients with a sustained virologic response have improvements in liver histology following a single course of interferon-based therapy, he said.



Of patients who had early scarring, or portal fibrosis, at baseline and had a sustained virologic response, 73% lacked any fibrosis at follow-up while 20% remained unchanged.


Of patients who had bridging fibrosis on the first biopsy and had a sustained virologic response, 35% were free from fibrosis at follow-up. Some 23% had reduced fibrosis, while 38% remained unchanged, and 4% progressed to cirrhosis.


And of patients who started out with cirrhosis and had a sustained virologic response, half improved: 10% had no fibrosis at follow-up. while 10% had improved to portal fibrosis, and 30% had improved to bridging fibrosis.


"The results of our study show that in patients who respond to treatment, the use of interferon or peginterferon in addition to ribavirin is very effective," Dr. Sterling said.