Hepatitis B virus reactivation in cancer patients receiving direct‐acting antivirals for hepatitis C virus infection

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can cause hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in HBV/HCV co-infected patients. Cancer patients undergoing immunosuppressant treatment or chemotherapy are at risk for HBV reactivation. To our knowledge, no prospective studies have examined the risk of HBV reactivation during DAA treatment for HCV infection in cancer patients with HBV/HCV co-infection. Here, we report the results of one such study. In a prospective observational study, we enrolled HCV-infected cancer patients undergoing DAA treatment at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center between January 2015 and March 2018. Data regarding demographics, cancer history, and prior HCV treatment history were collected. Patients were assessed for HBV status before DAA treatment and for HBV-related outcomes, including HBV reactivation, hepatitis flare, and HBV-associated hepatitis, during DAA treatment. Demographic and treatment variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics. One hundred sixty-six patients were analyzed. Forty-eight patients received systemic chemotherapy within 6 months before to 6 months after treatment with DAAs. Ledipasvir plus sofosbuvir was the most common DAA regimen, administered to 88 patients (53%). Fifty-one patients (31%) had past HBV infection, and 4 (2.4%) had chronic HBV infection. No patient experienced HBV reactivation, hepatitis flare, or HBV-associated hepatitis induced by DAA treatment. In HCV-infected cancer patients, DAA treatment is safe regardless of whether patients have past or chronic HBV infection. However, HBV screening is still recommended before the initiation of and during DAA treatment, as is anti-HBV prophylactic treatment in selected cases.