biopsy results

[Javi1962]

this is my biopsy results:  Serial sections of "liver biopsy" show mild fatty change. lobular inflammation is spotty. the portal aeas are expanded by lymphoid infiltrate. The piecemeal necrosis is mild. Iron stain reveals absent iron. The trichrome stain exhibits moderate fibrosis with fibrous portal expansion. Clinically, patient is positive for Hepatitis C viral markers. The findings are those of chronic Hepatitis C with mild activity (Grade 2 on a scale of 0 to 4) and moderate periportal fibrosis (stage 2 on a scale of 0 to 4)

Diagnosis:

A. Chronic Hepatitis C with mild activity (Grade 2 on a scale of 0 to 4) and moderate periportal fibrosis (stage 2 on a scale of 0 to 4)

B. No Evidence of Cirrhosis or Malignancy.

Today at my follow up visit to biopsy, Doctor wants me to treat, he already wrote out the prescription for the rivabarin and peg. Interferon? he said no need to wait, to risky, could lead to liver cancer or accelerate to level 3-4, don't take chances. I asked about new drugs and can I wait for them, Doctor replied don't hold your breath in regards to new drugs, he said they have been talking about that for years, no need to wait and gave me prescription and told me to come and see him 1 week after 1st SHOT!!!

not sure what to do, I want to wait for new drugs, but I don't want to progress to something worse! and suggestions would be appreciated.

[WriteItDown]

JD, yes, of course if someone doesn't have access to good clinical trials and they are nervous to wait for Tela or Boc, that makes sense.  I  am not necessarily advocating waiting for Tela or Boc -- but it seems to me in Ravi's case he is near L.A.-- they have a lot of trials going on out there, and right now there are really a lot of good new drugs for HCV. So if he could get on a good one he would at least have the chance to try triple therapy.  And in any case he would get SOC.

Jepperone, I guess I did miss your point in that case since I agree.  I don't think waiting very long would be my choice either.  Since I don't know your history I wasn't commenting on a situation when nothing else was available other than SOC.

But Ravi is contemplating treatment at a time when a lot of good new drugs are in trials, so I'm just giving him my opinion that he should try to take advantage of them.

Of course everyone has a different approach.

[jepperone]

Uh Ok!

But I think you missed the point. Meaning don’t wait too long to make a choice and in my case back then the IP’s were still in narrow clinical stages and not open to the vast majority as it is now with your husband.

jep

[jdwithhcv]

"I just don't get why a naive Geno 1 would want to try SOC when other, better treatments exist."

Because those drugs may never get to market.  Its an interesting intellectual exercise for a person without HCV, but when its YOUR liver that's stage 2 grade 2 there is a different analysis to be done.

[nygirl7]

Javi now that (10,000 vs. 12,000) was the way to put something even somebody like me can understand :)

I think my copay was $40 for a month of peg and riba. Then I had a copay for the procrit and ambien and stuff but all in all considering the real cost of the meds - I was very very grateful.

[Javi1962]

so true! I only smoked when I drank a beer, but since that is over quitting smoking was easy for me, my doctor said absolutely NO alcohol, I said how about medical marijuana? he said none of that either:) im not a pot smoker but i had to ask:) i actually read an article online from some berkley professors that say smoking marijuana while treating enhances the chances of svr, have you heard of this? i will send you link. of course there were thousand of other links that refute that claim, but I thought it was interesting.

[Bill1954]

That’s so true, Javi. Another tidbit I heard the other day is that nearly 50% of tobacco smokers will eventually succumb to cigarette-related illness; but only 5% will die as a direct result of their HCV…

Makes me wonder about priorities, you know :o)?

Bill