The Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (Clip) Investigators – 30 December 2003 – The clinical outcome of cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) depends both on the residual liver function and tumor characteristics. However, the relative prognostic weight of these variables is not well defined. The aims of this study were to verify the value of known prognostic factors and to devise a prognostic index more sensitive than the commonly used Okuda stage. A retrospective analysis of the cases of HCC diagnosed at 16 Italian institutions from 1990 to 1992 was performed.

Thelma E. Wiley, Mary McCarthy, Lama Breidi, Monica McCarthy, Thomas J. Layden – 30 December 2003 – In patients infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), 20% to 30% will progress to cirrhosis in over two to three decades. Viral and host factors that are important in the clinical and histologic progression of HCV infection are not entirely certain. It has been suggested that liver disease is worse in alcoholics infected with HCV.

Pere Ginés, Tomas Berl, Mauro Bernardi, Daniel G. Bichet, Guilles Hamon, Wladimiro Jiménez, Jean‐François Liard, Pierre‐Yves Martin, Robert W. Schrier – 30 December 2003

Jacquelyn J. Maher – 30 December 2003

Goro Sato, Shoichi Matsutani, Hitoshi Maruyama, Hiromitsu Saisho, Takeshi Fukuzawa, Hideaki Mizumoto, Naoto Burioka – 30 December 2003

Pilar Bravo, Virginie Bender, Doris Cassio – 30 December 2003 – Efficient transport of bile acids, a typical characteristic of hepatocytes, is partially lost in most hepatoma cell lines and in normal hepatocytes after some days in culture. We have tested whether the polarized rat hepatoma–human fibroblast hybrid WIF (hybrids between W138 and Fao cells) cells previously obtained by our group were able to perform vectorial transport of the fluorescent bile acid derivative cholylglycylamidofluorescein (CGamF) towards the bile canaliculi (BC). Four different WIF clones were analyzed.

Ji‐Ying Song, Cornelis J. F. Van Noorden, Wilma M. Frederiks – 30 December 2003 – The involvement of hepatocytes in proliferation of bile ductule‐like structures during cholestasis remains controversial. The present study was an attempt to address the issue of whether hepatocytes transform into ductular epithelial cells in response to cholestasis and, if so, which mechanisms are involved. Cholestasis was induced by common bile duct–ligation (CBDL) in rat liver for 2, 7, and 14 days.

Angelo Sangiovanni, Rino Morales, GianCarlo Spinzi, MariaGrazia Rumi, Antonietta Casiraghi, Roberto Ceriani, Enrico Colombo, Maurizio Fossati, Alberto Prada, Enrico Tavani, Giorgio Minoli – 30 December 2003 – Most patients with serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and persistently normal alanine transaminase (ALT) levels show histological features of mild to moderately active chronic hepatitis. Some cirrhosis has also been reported.

Maria H. Sjogren – 30 December 2003

Geoffrey C. Farrell, Bruce R. Bacon, Robert D. Goldin, Clinical Advisory Group for the Hepatitis C Comparative Study – 30 December 2003 – The aim of this study was to compare the short‐term and long‐term efficacy and safety of lymphoblastoid interferon with a recombinant interferon alfa (IFN‐α) in a 24‐week treatment course for chronic hepatitis C. One thousand seventy‐one patients with chronic hepatitis C were randomized to receive lymphoblastoid IFN‐αn1 or recombinant IFN‐α2b at the same dosing regimen, 3 million units administered subcutaneously three times a week for 24 weeks.