Hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after interferon-free direct acting antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus infection: fact or fiction?

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the leading cause of cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver transplantation worldwide (1-3). Compared to HCV-infected patients who fail to achieve sustained virologic response (SVR) following interferon (IFN)-based antiviral therapies, those who achieve SVR have decreased long-term morbidity and mortality (4,5). In recent years, treating HCV with IFN-free direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) has shown superb efficacy and safety and thus become the current standard of care for HCV infection.