Entecavir versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate on the reduction of incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis B-related liver cirrhosis

This study aimed to compare the effect of long-term continuous entecavir (ETV) compared with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) on the reduction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) related liver cirrhosis. This study recruited patients who had CHB-related liver cirrhosis and received ETV or TDF treatment for more than 6 months. Regular assessments of ultrasonography and alpha-fetoprotein test were arranged every 3 months for HCC detection. Five-year cumulative incidence of HCC and risk factors for HCC development were analyzed. A total of 286 consecutive cirrhotic patients were included, 198 in the ETV group and 88 in the TDF group. During a median follow-up of 57.5 months, 25 (12.6%) patients in the ETV group and 12 (13.6%) patients in the TDF group developed HCC. The 5-year cumulative incidence of HCC was comparable between the ETV and TDF groups (6.57% vs. 9.09%, log-rank p = .242). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that male, old age, diabetes, and low platelet count were independent risk factors for HCC development. This study observed that long-term ETV or TDF provided comparable preventive effects on HCC development in patients with CHB-related liver cirrhosis.