fibrosis

If you are a grade 3 stage 3 and undergo successful treatment can your liver ever repair the fibrosis or can you go back a stage or two? Also even if you are a non responder in the end would the year you were on treatment have given your liver any time to rebuild at all or go back a stage?

[pcds]

Of all the organs in the body, the liver is most able to repair.  Not sure if there is a stage where no repair is possible.  There are others on this site more able to give details, but the liver can repair itself once the virus is gone and no other liver damaging behaviors such as drinking or drugs.

[vik97]

Yes,  I believe that the liver can repair itself even when the Hep C treatment is ultimately unsuccessful.

Four years ago, I was diagnosed with cirrhosis based on a series of MRI's every 6 months that showed a nodularity on the surface of my right lobe. Three years ago,  I underwent an unsuccessful treatment of 30 weeks with SOC in which I was a slow responder.  Immediately after starting treatment. however, the nodularity disappeared.

Last December, just before starting my present treatment, I got a liver biopsy for the first time.  The result was Grade 1, Stage 2.  Several weeks later, after starting my present treatment, I had a Fibroscan done and the resullt was Stage 1.

It is my belief that I never really had cirrhosis and I was Stage 3 before my first treatment and that although the treatment wasn't successful, the liver was given a rest for several months and able to repair itself.

I am presently in week 33 of a 48 week treatment with SOC + TMC435, a protease inhibitor.

[eureka254]

Most of the literature and data seems to point to reversal of fibrosis in hep c after successful treatment, but because of a number of factors, including small numbers of people who pursue biopsy after SVR, it's not considered a "definite" in the medical community quite as yet. Nonetheless, most hepatologists seem to agree it is highly likely.

From an incidental standpoint, I know of at least one member here (newleaf09) who was Stage 4 and after successful treatment pursued a biopsy and reported she was
Stage 2 after SVR.  (You can search MedHelp for archived anecdotes regarding cirrhosis/fibrosis reversal.)  Hope that helps. ~eureka

[fashion345]

Thanks to all for these posts!
This is very encouraging to those of us who are undergoing treatment!

[pcds]

Also very encouraging for those of us whose treatment was unsuccessful to  hope our livers are in better condition than when we started treatment.

[Dee1956]

This was a good post, thank you!
Dee