National Cheng Kung University Hospital hepatology attending physician Chien Shih-chieh (簡世杰) has said that Tainan has an abnormally high rate of hepatitis C and urged the public to be aware of the illness, and to start treatment and regular screenings for liver cancer if they have hepatitis.
Chien said the rates for hepatitis C in Tainan’s coastal regions range from 10 to 20 percent, far higher than the national average of 4 percent, adding that the rate for hepatitis B in Tainan overall is also excessively high at 10 to 20 percent, much higher than the national average of 3 percent.
Historical medical data suggests that between the 1980s and 1990s, the rate of hepatitis C in Tainan’s Mashagou (馬沙溝) was 40 percent to 50 percent, which has been gradually reduced to present levels over the years, Chien said.
Chien warned that cirrhosis of the liver, a frequent result of chronic hepatitis, drastically increases the rise of liver cancer. In the US, Europe and most of Asia, it is standard medical procedure to advise patients suffering from hepatitis B or C, as well as cirrhosis of the liver, to submit to regular screenings for liver cancer in order to facilitate early detection and treatment, he said.
Chien said that doctors typically recommend patients undergo ultrasound screening every three to six months, which are usually supplemented by blood tests in Taiwan.
According to a Cheng Kung University study, some hepatitis B patients who receive antiviral drugs as part of their treatment might see improvements in their condition after several years, recovering from cirrhosis of the liver to moderate or mild liver fibrosis, or even become completely free of liver scarring, Chien said.
Hepatitis C patients might expect to experience the same improvement if their treatment is successful, Chien said, adding that in any case treating chronic hepatitis greatly reduces the patient’s liver cancer risks.
“Liver cancer is not incurable,” Chien said.
The progression of liver cancer is divided into, middle and late stages and specific treatment strategies are available for each stage, he said.
However, the greatest room for improvement is found in early diagnosis, as a majority of liver cancer patients are diagnosed in the late stages, Chien said.
It is more effective to treat patients before their chronic hepatitis worsens into cancer and therefore people with hepatitis B or C should be regularly tested, Chien said, adding doctors should do more to encourage patients to tackle hepatitis aggressively.
“Cheng Kung University Hospital has made great strides in liver cancer treatment. Patients diagnosed with liver cancer should not lose hope, but cooperate with their doctors to restore their health,” Chien said.
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