TY - JOUR
T1 - Antiviral therapy after complete response to chemotherapy could be efficacious in HCV-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
AU - La Mura, Vincenzo
AU - Renzo, Amalia D.
AU - Perna, Fabiana
AU - D'Agostino, Diego
AU - Masarone, Mario
AU - Romano, Marco
AU - Bruno, Savino
AU - Torella, Roberto
AU - Persico, Marcello
PY - 2008/10
Y1 - 2008/10
N2 - Background/Aims: Prevalence of HCV infection in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is high. The impact of antiviral therapy on the natural history of this subgroup of lymphomas after a successful chemotherapy regimen is still an argument of debate. Methods: We retrospectively examined 343 chemotherapy-treated patients referred to our centre for five consecutive years. Clinical and histological characteristics, disease free-survival (DFS) and overall-survival (OS) were compared in HCV-positive (69/343) and HCV-negative (274/343) patients. Twenty-five HCV-positive patients received antiviral treatment following chemotherapy discontinuation. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: 20% of lymphomas were HCV-positive. Indolent histology was prevalent in the HCV-positive group (p <0.05); no significant differences in OS or DFS were found between the two groups; in HCV-positive subjects, antiviral therapy, was associated with a longer DFS (p <0.05); none of the HCV-positive subjects who achieved a virological response experienced any lymphoma relapse; 29% of non responders did; at multivariate analysis, the independent factors related to a better clinical outcome were: indolent histology at the onset of lymphoma and antiviral therapy. Conclusions: Antiviral treatment in HCV-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma may be an important strategy to reinforce the results of a successful chemotherapy regimen; further studies are needed to validate this combined approach.
AB - Background/Aims: Prevalence of HCV infection in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is high. The impact of antiviral therapy on the natural history of this subgroup of lymphomas after a successful chemotherapy regimen is still an argument of debate. Methods: We retrospectively examined 343 chemotherapy-treated patients referred to our centre for five consecutive years. Clinical and histological characteristics, disease free-survival (DFS) and overall-survival (OS) were compared in HCV-positive (69/343) and HCV-negative (274/343) patients. Twenty-five HCV-positive patients received antiviral treatment following chemotherapy discontinuation. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: 20% of lymphomas were HCV-positive. Indolent histology was prevalent in the HCV-positive group (p <0.05); no significant differences in OS or DFS were found between the two groups; in HCV-positive subjects, antiviral therapy, was associated with a longer DFS (p <0.05); none of the HCV-positive subjects who achieved a virological response experienced any lymphoma relapse; 29% of non responders did; at multivariate analysis, the independent factors related to a better clinical outcome were: indolent histology at the onset of lymphoma and antiviral therapy. Conclusions: Antiviral treatment in HCV-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma may be an important strategy to reinforce the results of a successful chemotherapy regimen; further studies are needed to validate this combined approach.
KW - Hepatitis C antiviral therapy
KW - Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jhep.2008.06.025
DO - 10.1016/j.jhep.2008.06.025
M3 - Article
C2 - 18678434
AN - SCOPUS:50549089101
VL - 49
SP - 557
EP - 563
JO - Journal of Hepatology
JF - Journal of Hepatology
SN - 0168-8278
IS - 4
ER -