Treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection and hepatocellular carcinoma prevention

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health problem. It concerns more than 240 million people over the world. Natural HBV history leads to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), developed on cirrhotic liver and/or by direct viral cacinogenesis. HCC incidence is estimated between 0,2 and 1% per year. The risk of HCC development showed a positive correlation with the level of HBV DNA in the sera. This virosuppression, obtained with interferon or analogs, can reduce the incidence of HCC development during chronic HBV infection. In case of HCC curative surgery, sustained virological response showed a protective effect on recurrence development. Guidelines suggest to treat every cirrhotic or highly replicative patients, and to screen every six months chronic HBs antigen carrier to prevent HCC development.