A systematic review including 11 studies with a total of 2 178 subjects was abstracted in DARE. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) developed significantly more frequently in untreated than in IFN- treated participants; the OR was 3.0 (95% CI: 2.3 to 3.9). The number-needed-to-treat to prevent HCC in one patient was 9 (95% CI: 7 to 11).
In the 5 studies reporting HCC incidence in patients with and without sustained response to IFN, HCC was detected at a much higher rate in patients without a sustained response (OR 3.7, 95% CI: 1.7 to 7.8). HCC developed significantly more frequently in the untreated participants than in the in non-sustained responders (OR 2.7, 95% CI: 1.9 to 3.9).
The benefit of IFN on HCC was not influenced by study type, duration of follow-up, or the origin of the study (Japan versus other countries).