— Christine M. Kukka, Project Manager, HBV Advocate
Getting regular ultrasound screenings for liver cancer–at least
every six to 12 months–increases survival among liver cancer patients,
including those with hepatitis B, according to a study published in the
February issue of the journal Gut.
Current medical guidelines recommend regular
liver cancer screening in hepatitis B patients, especially those with
indications of liver damage, fibrosis and cirrhosis (severe scarring.)
However, it has not been clear how beneficial the more frequent
screenings are to treatment and survival. A new study shows frequent
screenings clearly result in longer survival.
Taiwanese researchers followed 52,823 patients
newly-diagnosed with liver cancer between 2002 and 2007. They
determined how recently the patients had received ultrasound
screenings, and what impact the timing of the screenings had on their
survival and quality of treatment.
The percentage receiving cancer treatment was slightly better with more frequent screenings.
- 24.3% of patients who had ultrasounds in the past six months received treatment
- Compared to only 18.3% of patients who had never been screened.
Survival increased among patients with frequent
ultrasound screenings over the five-year study period. When compared to
patients who had been screened within the past six months, the
five-year death rate was:
- 11% higher in patients who had ultrasounds 12 months ago
- 23% higher in patients who had ultrasounds 24 months previously
- 31% higher in patients who were screened 36 months ago,
- And 47% higher in patients who had never been screened.
“…The associations between shorter screening
intervals and better survival were observed in nearly all subgroups,
especially in younger patients, patients without diabetes and patients
with hepatitis B infection,” they wrote.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
/25670811
http://www.hbvadvocate.org/news/HBJ12.3.htm
Labels: frequent cancer screenings, prolonged survival, ultrasound
