Level 4 Hep C

[glparke]

Is Level 4 Hep C cirrhosis?

[Dee1956]

Hector has given you the best possible advice, he is the guru
Good luck to you
Dee

[tigerinthewild]

there is no 4th stage cirrosis . on your internet look up cirrosis symtoms
learning center .

[HectorSF]

Stage 4 liver disease is cirrhosis of the liver.
Cirrhosis is a progressive disease that can take many decades to develop. It is the scarring of the liver -- hard scar tissue replaces soft healthy tissue. Hepatitis C over many decades can cause cirrhosis. As cirrhosis becomes worse, the liver will have less healthy tissue. If cirrhosis is not treated, the liver will not be able to work well or at all (liver failure).

Inflammation (something actively bothering the liver such as hepatitis C) can lead to fibrosis (abnormal fibrous bands in the liver). As time goes by... (if the inflammation continues).... more and more fibrosis forms. As more time goes by...Liver cells may begin to die ("necrosis")...
Scar tissue begins to form ("cirrhosis").

The Metavir score:
The fibrosis score is also assigned a number from 0-4:
• 0 = no scarring
• 1 = minimal scarring
• 2 = scarring has occurred and extends outside
         the areas in the liver that contains blood vessels
• 3=bridging fibrosis is spreading and
connecting to other areas that contain fibrosis
• 4=cirrhosis or advanced scarring of the liver

Patients with hepatitis C and cirrhosis have a reduced chance of curing the hepatitis C virus with current treatments. It is important for patients with cirrhosis to be treated at a liver transplant center to have their liver disease fully evaluated before starting hepatitis C treatment. If a person's cirrhosis is decompensated they are probably too ill to treat their hepatitis. Their only option at that point is a liver transplant. Depending on how advanced the cirrhosis is, there is a risk that treatment can cause more damage to the liver or in a very small number of cases, liver failure. Liver transplant centers treat patients on a daily basis with cirrhosis/hepatitis C and they know how to best manage and treat a person's liver disease.

For anyone with cirrhosis of the liver it is important to be monitored 2x years with imaging scan to look for development of liver cancer (HCC). All patients with hepatitis C and cirrhosis have an increased risk of developing liver cancer the longer they have cirrhosis. If a patient develops liver cancer the only known cure is a liver transplant.

There are 3 stages or degrees of Cirrhosis:
Stage A ("compensated"; not too sick)
Stage B (beginning to decompensate; complications beginning to appear)
Stage C ("decompensated"; End-Stage Liver Disease (ESLD). This is when ascites, bleeding varices, hepatic encephalopathy. and other complication become recurrent and life threatening.)

A person with Stage B or Stage C, should get referred for "Evaluation" at a liver transplantation center to get on the liver transplant waiting list.  

If you have cirrhosis and hepatitis C. You should get seen by a hepatologist at a liver transplant center ASAP. If your liver is still compensated, it is important to treat your hepatitis C soon, before your liver disease becomes worst. At a certain point you will no longer to able to treat. Treating as soon as possible will give you the best chances of curing your hepatitis C.

Good luck!
Hector