stage 3 with hep c

[sbsbsb]

54 and I have 7 year old,doc just took biopsy have cirrouis stage 3 and wants to treat hep c I don't know if worth it

[pooh55811]

I have read different percentage rates for those of who did not attain Undetectable status at 4 weeks (eRVR) but obtained Undetectable status by week 12. These stats are for treatment naive and previous Relapsers, not previous partial or null responders.

Here is the SVR percentage rate I usually go by (even though I have read in some places the SVR is slightly lower for those of us without eRVR). (Note the last sentence.)

From Clinical Care Options:

"Among patients who achieved an eRVR and received 24 total weeks of therapy, the SVR rate was 89%, confirming that this strategy results in a very high SVR rate (Figure 11). The robustness of response-guided therapy was confirmed by the ILLUMINATE trial, in which treatment-naive patients with genotype 1 HCV who achieved eRVR after 12 weeks of telaprevir were randomized to receive either 12 weeks or 36 weeks of pegIFN/RBV, for a total therapy duration of 24 or 48 weeks, respectively (Capsule Summary).[30] Among patients with eRVR, 92% achieved SVR with 24 total weeks of therapy vs 88% with 48 total weeks of therapy. Patients who did not achieve eRVR all continued pegIFN/RBV through Week 48, and 64% attained SVR (Figure 12). "

This article has several pages to it. It is very informative and well worth reading the entire article.

http://www.clinicaloptions.com/Hepatitis/Treatment%20Updates/HCV%20New%20Agents/Module/Practical_Guide/Pages/Page%204.aspx

While I have read some other stats that are slightly lower, I still generally go with the 64% (knowing that it could be 62% or even slightly lower). If they had 64% in the trial, then I figure my chance has to be that good too.

Your VL was very low, 25 at week 4. That is promising. And you were UND at week 12. Just hang in there, don't stress too much on the numbers (it makes a person fret, LOL), and soon you will be finished with treatment. Keep in mind that 64% of those who did not have an eRVR (us) still attained SVR. Statistically there is a better chance of being among that 64%who attained SVR than of being among the 36% who did not attain SVR.

[nan535]

Thanks for the info, Hector.   Will do...

[HectorSF]

To further discuss issues of cirrhosis it is best to post in the new "Cirrhosis of the Liver Community".

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Cirrhosis-of-the-Liver/show/1390?controller=forums&action=show&id=1390&camp=msc

Thanks!


Cheers!
Hector

[nan535]

I want to add that I think the decision to go forward with treatment despite his ESLD diagnosis was because otherwise he was in good health - no heart disease, no diabetes, never smoked... I really believe that helped him greatly to make it through. After almost going into kidney failure, his kidneys rebounded to normal range. I am sure that had to be because of his good health otherwise.
It is my sincere hope that his story will help some of you struggling with this terrible virus.

Nan

[nan535]

My husband's doctors didn't recommend biopsy either due to risk of bleeding.  Besides the ultrasounds and cat scans they did, It was obvious what the state of his liver was because of his other symptoms - esophageal varices which were banded, and the awful hepatic encephalopathy.  Absent these other symptoms, I don't see how they can tell how severely damaged the liver is without a biopsy.
Nan

[Naya888]

I appreciate you answer Thanks that sounds better than I was told by my MD