Long-term follow-up of chronic hepatitis C patients administered oral lactoferrin

摘要

We have already reported that oral administration of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) to chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients produced a Thl-cytokine dominant environment in the peripheral blood for up to 3 months. The present study attempted to clarify the effects of long-term administation of bLF on serum parameters and a developing rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in CHC patients. Daily, 600 mg of bLf (Morinaga Milk Industry Ltd.) was orally administered to 25 CHC patients (bLf group) and they were followed for a median of 56 months (range: 25-72 months). Serum parameters and a developing rate of HCC were compared with those of a control group, which included sex- and age-matched CHC patients (a median of 55 months; range: 12-72 months). HCC was histopathologically diagnosed us-