The Frontline  Beacon

The Frontline  Beacon  Volume 1          October Issue         Beth Leffler, Editor Message from the President Welcome to this first edition of the Frontline Newsletter.  We hope you will discover something here to aid in daily living with Hepatitis.   We welcome input and articles by you for future editions.  It is our hope to build a community of patients and family members from the HCV-HBV circle. If you wish to donate to Frontline for our continued efforts to educate and provide support and advocacy, we thank you.  If you know someone who may want to receive a copy of this and other newsletters, please send $9 for a yearly subscription with the name and address and email address to: Frontline Hepatitis Awareness 2712-1/2  13th  Ave. South Seattle, WA  98144         Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection In Patients With Cirrhosis Journal of Viral Hepatitis 7 (5), 327-334 © Blackwell Science Ltd. S. Zeuzem1  Chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection eventually leads to cirrhosis in 20-30% of patients and to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 1-5% of patients. Rates of sustained virological response with standard interferon-a (IFN-a) are low in patients without cirrhosis (generally < 20%) and are even lower in those with cirrhosis. Combination therapy with IFN and Ribavirin improves response rates in patients with chronic hepatitis C without cirrhosis, and the results from subgroups of HCV-infected patients with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis are encouraging.  Importantly, treatment with IFN slows progression of liver fibrosis, regardless of HCV genotype or early response to therapy, and reduces the risk of HCC by two- to fivefold. The risk of development of HCC is also lower in patients who show at least a partial response to IFN therapy compared with those who show no response. There is a clear need for more definitive studies of treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C and cirrhosis, ideally using therapies with greater efficacy.  Nonetheless, based on the potential to slow the progression of liver fibrosis (regardless of treatment response) and to reduce the risk of HCC, a greater number of HCV-infected patients with cirrhosis should be considered as candidates for IFN treatment. Preliminary data indicate that pegylated IFNs have improved virological response rates and may have additional clinical benefits in the prevention or reduction of fibrosis and retardation of progression of cirrhosis and HCC in these patients.    Abbreviations: HBV, Hepatitis B virus HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma HCV, Hepatitis C virus IFN-a, interferon-a   4LIVER Hepatitis Diet, Nutrition Websites Compiled by: Candi/LiverInfo1@aol.com  American Liver Foundation  Diet & The Liver   http://gi.ucsf.edu/ALF/Info/Infodiet&live.html   Diet and Your Liver     Ask Emaliss HCV Site   Vitamins & Nutrients http://www.ia.net/~webbsite/vtmns2.htm   Vitamins2  Hepatitis C Foundation   Nutritional Supplements & Vitamins   http://www.hepcfoundation.org/res_vitaminsupplements.html   HCF: HCV --- Nutritional Supplements Vitamins ---     Dr. Melissa Palmer, MD   Diet & HCV   http://liverdisease.com/diet.html   Diet + Hepatitis C     Hepatitis-Central-Vikki Shaw's Site   Diet & Chronic Liver Disease   http://hepatitis-central.com/hcv/hepatitis/diet.html Hepatitis-Central Diet & Chronic Liver Disease      Elaine's #1 HCV Resource page   Diet & Nutrition http://home.texoma.net/~moreland/nutri/nutri-mn.html      Ingo d'Alquen Vitamins with Hepatitis   http://www.hepatitis-c.de/vitamine.htm   Information about Vitamins   1-800-216-5195   Hepatitis C Cookbook   {200 recipes, diet tips}   By: Romona L. Jones, CNC, Vonah Stanfield   $12.95 + s&h $3   Send order to:   Nature's Response   22 Fairview Lane   Shawnee, OK 74804   Or Email to tealady1@aol.com     To view this book go to   http://hepatitis-central.com/hcv/books/cookbook.html   Natures Response, A Real Hep Cookbook National Events Listing: AASLD Annual Conference Dallas October 27th -31st -Whyndham Anatole Hotel   http://www.AASLD.org   Hepatitis C Summit-Seattle WA October 18 Belleview WA  Hyatt Hotel theteam@delaunay-phillips.com   HEP WA Support Group Leaders Meeting October 6, 7 & 8, 2000 Send in listings for this Events  Calendar to show what's up. YOU CAN LIVE WITH HEPATITIS C  When you are first diagnosed with Hepatitis C your immediate reaction is that you are afraid.  This is normal.  Immediately you fear that you have been given a death sentence.  This is not the case in 80% of those patients diagnosed with chronic Hepatitis C.  Your doctor will probably send you to a specialist for further testing.  That specialist should test your Liver Function's, which will show low to high inflammation.  You will probably have to have a liver biopsy,   which will determine the damage that has been caused to your liver from the Hepatitis C Virus.  From the biopsy in 20% of the cases or less, those patients will be at end stage liver  disease.  These patients are probably very sick right now. If you don't show signs of bleeding internally or swelling or filling with fluids in the legs and abdomen then you are in pretty good shape.  In most cases you will probably pass on from this life with Hepatitis C than because of it.  That's why testing and early intervention is so important.  Obtain as much information as possible and make your choices through the knowledge that you have gained.  There are many HCV patients and we are here to help you.  You will never be alone, that is our mission. Beth Leffler, Editor   Copyright© 2000 Frontline

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