Two cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma detected after interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Recently, it has been suggested that hepatitis C virus infection plays a role in the pathogenesis of some intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (ICC). We describe two patients with small ICC detected after interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C. Case 1 was diagnosed with ICC by preoperative biopsy and underwent anterior segmentectomy of the liver, while Case 2 was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma preoperatively and the tumor was diagnosed as ICC after biopsy and microwave coagulonecrotic therapy. Both patients are in good health six months and five months, respectively, after operation. It is important to monitor carefully for ICC as well as hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C, even when interferon therapy has been carried out, since the outcome of treatment for small ICC is favorable.