Affiliation:
1. Department of Medicine San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center San Francisco California USA
2. Division of Gastroenterology University of California San Francisco California USA
3. Department of Medicine University of California San Francisco California USA
4. Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
5. Department of Microbiology and Immunology University of California San Francisco California USA
Abstract
Background and aimsSecond‐generation direct‐acting antivirals (2G DAA) to cure HCV have led to dramatic clinical improvements. HCV‐associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, remains common. Impaired immune tumor surveillance may play a role in HCC development. Our cohort evaluated the effects of innate immune types and clinical variables on outcomes including HCC.MethodsParticipants underwent full HLA class I/KIR typing and long‐term HCV follow‐up.ResultsA total of 353 HCV+ participants were followed for a mean of 7 years. Cirrhosis: 25% at baseline, developed in 12% during follow‐up. 158 participants received 2G DAA therapy. HCC developed without HCV therapy in 20 subjects, 24 HCC after HCV therapy, and 10 of these after 2G DAA. Two predictors of HCC among 2G DAA‐treated patients: cirrhosis (OR, 10.0, p = 0.002) and HLA/KIR profiles predicting weak natural killer (NK) cell‐mediated immunity (NK cell complementation groups 6, 9, 11, 12, OR of 5.1, p = 0.02). Without 2G DAA therapy: cirrhosis was the main clinical predictor of HCC (OR, 30.8, p < 0.0001), and weak NK‐cell‐mediated immunity did not predict HCC.ConclusionCirrhosis is the main risk state predisposing to HCC, but weak NK‐cell‐mediated immunity may predispose to post‐2G DAA HCC more than intermediate or strong NK‐cell‐mediated immunity.