Hepatitis C virus acute exacerbation during chemotherapy and radiotherapy for oesophageal carcinoma.

AIMS: We report the first case of an hepatitis C virus positive patient presenting with a solid tumor and developing an exacerbation of his hepatitis C after chemotherapy.

CASE REPORT: A 56-year-old white male, previously infected with hepatitis C virus and treated for epidermoid carcinoma of the oesophagus, developed hepatitis (alamine aminotransferase 2376 U/l and aspartate aminotransferase 2262 U/l) after chemotherapy with cisplatin and vinblastine.

METHODS

Polymerase chain reaction detected hepatitis C virus RNA in the serum during the acute phase, which returned to negative 14 weeks later.

DISCUSSION: Viral replication was probably increased during immunosuppression induced by chemotherapy. Enhanced cellular immune response in the recovery phase was the most likely cause of the hepatitis.

CONCLUSIONS

More attention should be paid to liver function tests in patients with a previous history of hepatitis C virus infection. Polymerase chain reaction identification of hepatitis C virus RNA can be a very useful tool that permits rapid diagnosis and appropriate management of such cases.