Hemangioma, HCV, Pegasys

Does anyone know about any correlation between Hemangioma, HCV and/or Pegasys? Can HCV cause a growth of Hemangioma? Or can a Pegasys treatment cause it?

I'm male, 42 yo, HCV genotype 1b. 3 years ago I participated in a Pegays trial, which was discontinued on the 28 week, although I was a responder and cleared the virus on the 12 week.  A month after the treatment I relapsed.

Before treatment I never had any complains or symptoms. During treatment I started having liver pain. I was told it'd go away after the end of treatment but it never did. Now my Doc suggested repeating treatment for a longer period and with a higher dose of Ribavarin.

Last 2 weeks I did all blood tests and my ALT/AST haven't changed in the last 2 years (71/42). However, my ultrasound showed a 2.4 cm Hemangioma in the right lobe of the liver

[Valtod]

Rapid growth of liver hemangioma following interferon treatment for hepatitis C in a young woman.

Liver hemangioma is the most common benign liver tumor. Giant hemangiomas can grow and give various clinical symptoms. We describe a case of rapid growth of liver hemangioma in a seventeen-year-old girl. She was treated with interferon alpha 2b for hepatitis C. About 12 months later she was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of large epigastric mass, anemia and thrombocytopenia. Ultrasound scan and computed tomography confirmed the clinical picture, suggesting giant liver hemangioma. During surgery large cavernous hemangioma deeply penetrating into normal liver parenchyma was found. In view of recent hepatitis C infection the resection procedure (left extended hemihepatectomy) was assessed as being dangerous for the patient's life. Ligation of the left branches of hepatic artery and portal vein reducing tumor blood supply was performed. The postoperative period was uneventful; the hemangioma in the left lobe had shrunk. Ultrasound and CT scans performed one and two years after surgery showed that the size of the hemangioma remained stable and the patient was asymptomatic. In this described case three potential factors stimulating the growth of hemangioma (puberty, hepatitis C infection and interferon treatment) are discussed. The potential role of vascular endothelial growth factor and fibroblast growth factor is raised.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15239265&dopt=Citation

[fresnoborn]

Hang in there. Irritability is all part of the treatment. I am into my 7th week of treatment with interferon/ribavirin and I too have become difficult to live with. Maybe an Anti-depressant may help or an anxiety pill just for a while, it's not forever and it may make things easier on everyone in the family. Believe me everyone is affected by our illness. you will all become survivors.

[HepCat]

I had a small hemangioma less than 2 cm on my right lobe before treatment and didn't get a biopsy because of that.  I have no idea how long it was there but probably had hcv for over 25 years.  I don't know if it is well understood the factors that produce them.  Most people don't have abdominal ultrasounds and would never know.