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At present, for adults with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, two new analogues, entecavir (ETV) and tenofovir, are recommended as the first-line therapy by the EASL (European Association for the Study of the Liver), AASLD (American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases), and APASL (Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver) guidelines. The use of pegylated interferon-α (PEG IFN-α) is recommended as the first-line therapy instead of standard IFN-α according to the above 3 guidelines. In this paper, the aim was to assess: (1) the long-term efficacy and safety as well as the resistance to ETV and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF); (2) the efficacy of PEG IFN-α; (3) the role of combination therapy with IFN plus two analogues, such as lamivudine and ETV; (4) the efficacy and safety of two analogues with cirrhosis, and (5) suppression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by ETV and IFN treatment. The results are as follows: (1) both ETV and TDF showed long-term efficacy and safety; (2) PEG IFN-α resulted in a greater decline in HBV DNA levels and a higher rate of HBeAg seroconversion; (3) combination therapy with IFN plus two analogues did not elevate the rate of sustained responses; (4) both ETV and TDF showed efficacy and safety with cirrhosis (ETV especially displayed efficacy and safety with decompensated cirrhosis), and (5) suppression of HCC was observed by ETV and IFN. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several papers discussed at the 45th Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Society for Mucosal Immunology held at the Mielparque-Kyoto in Japan on July 3-4, 2008 is presented. Topics include the immunity of the digestive disease and liver, pancreatic disease. The featured speakers at the symposium include Professor Takanori Kanai of Keio University and Professor Matthew B. Grisham of LSU Health Science Center.

Talks about pancreatology in Japan. Celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology; Details of the 8th Meeting of the International Association of Pancreatology; Information on lectures about ulcerogenic pancreatic tumor syndrome and the international documentation system for pancreatic system.

The article offers information on the 4th International Gastrointestinal Consensus Symposium (IGICS) to be held in Kyoto, Japan on February 18-192011.

No abstract available [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a series of articles dealing with liver cancer research in Japan and highlights of the symposium "Researching Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Japan: A Message to the World" held in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2000.