©The Author(s) 2015. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 21, 2015; 21(7): 2263-2264
Published online Feb 21, 2015. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i7.2263
Published online Feb 21, 2015. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i7.2263
Hepatitis B reactivation and timing for prophylaxis
Nazan Tuna, Oguz Karabay, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey
Author contributions: Tuna N wrote this letter; Karabay O revised the letter.
Correspondence to: Nazan Tuna, MD, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Adnan menderes Bulvarı, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey. tunanazan@hotmail.com
Telephone: +90-532-6888377 Fax: +90-264-2552105
Received: June 21, 2014
Peer-review started: June 22, 2014
First decision: July 9, 2014
Revised: July 23, 2014
Accepted: September 5, 2014
Article in press: September 5, 2014
Published online: February 21, 2015
Processing time: 234 Days and 23 Hours
Peer-review started: June 22, 2014
First decision: July 9, 2014
Revised: July 23, 2014
Accepted: September 5, 2014
Article in press: September 5, 2014
Published online: February 21, 2015
Processing time: 234 Days and 23 Hours
Abstract
It is known that immunotherapy and cancer chemotherapy may cause hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in hepatitis B surface antigen carriers and inactive chronic hepatitis B patients. Guidelines recommend antiviral prophylaxis regardless of HBV DNA levels to prevent reactivation. We read from the article written by Liu et al that Lamivudine was given inadequate time for antiviral prophylaxis.
Keywords: Hepatitis B; Immunotherapy; Hepatitis B reactivation; Antiviral prophylaxis; Inadequate time; Lamivudine
Core tip: Lamivudine is the most commonly used drug in hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation prophylaxis. However, if Rituximab is included in the immunochemotherapy regime, HBV reactivation is expected to occur more severely.