Effect of lamivudine combined with thymosin on postoperative recurrence of alcoholic hepatitis complicated with liver cancer

Zhen Yu^1,2, Liping He¹, Yanling Jiang¹, Min Sun³, Xiaoxiao Song¹

¹School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University (KMU), Kunming 650500, China - ²Prince of Songkla University, Ban Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand - ³Department of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lamivudine combined with thymosin on postoperative recurrence of alcoholic hepatitis complicated with liver cancer.

Materials and method: According to the method of random digital table, 160 patients were divided into control group (n = 80) and study group (n = 80). Control group was given lamivudine once a day for 100 mg for 1 year (withdrawal of lamivudine after operation) at the first week after operation. Study group were treated with lamivudine combined with thymosin after operation. Serum total bilirubin, albumin, AST and ALT, immune function indexes, recurrence of patients were compared. 

Results: After postoperative treatment for 6 months, the indexes of serum total bilirubin, AST and ALT in the study group were lower than those in the control group (all p<0.001), and the serum albumin in the study group was higher than that in the control group (p< 0.001); serum CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ in the study group were better than those in the control group (P=0.030, P=0.001, P=0.042, P=0.038). The recurrence rate of cancer in the study group was lower than that in the control group (P=0.029, 0.035) after 6-month and 1-year follow-up. 

Conclusion: Combined treatment of lamivudine and thymosin after operation can improve both liver function and immune function of patients with alcoholic hepatitis complicated with liver cancer and reduce postoperative recurrence.