Effect of Nucleos(t)ide Analogue Therapy on Risk of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) increases risk of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), but it is not clear whether antiviral therapy reduces risk. We investigated the association between nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy and ICC risk.

METHODS: We performed a nationwide long-term cohort study using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database to obtain data on 185,843 patients with chronic HBV infection from October 1, 2003 through December 31, 2012. We excluded patients with confounding disorders such as infection with hepatitis C virus, HIV, or other hepatitis-associated viruses; liver flukes; biliary stone diseases; cholangitis; congenital biliary anomalies; biliary tract surgeries; or cancer. We identified 10,062 patients who received nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy (the treated group), and used propensity scores to match them (1:1) with patients who received hepatoprotectants (the untreated group). Cumulative incidences of and hazard ratios (HRs) for ICC development were analyzed.

RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of ICC was significantly lower in the treated group after 3 years of therapy (1.28%; 95% CI, 0.56-2.01) than in the untreated group (3.14%; 95% CI, 2.02-4.27) and after 5 years of therapy (1.53%; 95% CI, 0.73-2.33 vs 4.32% in untreated group; 95% CI, 2.96-5.6869). In multivariable regression analysis, nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy was independently associated with a reduced risk of ICC (HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.25-0.78; P = .005). Older age (HR 1.05 per year; 95% CI, 1.03-1.07) and cirrhosis (HR, 2.80; 95% CI, 1.52-5.1415) were independently associated with an increased risk of ICC. Sensitivity analyses verified the association between nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy and a reduced ICC risk.

CONCLUSION: A nationwide long-term cohort study in Taiwan showed that nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy for chronic HBV infection is significantly associated with a reduced ICC risk.