Raymond Chung, MD, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Hepatitis C and Co-infection Clinic, answers common questions about the cause of and treatments for hepatitis C.
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Raymond Chung, MD, director of the Hepatitis C and Co-infection Clinic
Q: What is hepatitis C?
A: Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by a blood-borne virus. It is the leading reason for liver transplantation, and a condition at high risk for progression to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Q: How is it diagnosed?
A: Hepatitis C is diagnosed through a number of tests including blood tests, imaging tests and liver biopsy.
Q: Am I contagious?
A: Unless there is active exposure to your infected blood, you have a very low likelihood of transmitting this infection to loved ones, family members and friends.
Q: Who should be screened for hepatitis C?
A: In late 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will issue recommendations for important changes in screening practices for hepatitis C. All persons born between 1945 and 1965 will be invited for a one-time office screen. This method has been demonstrated to be more likely to identify the many people with chronic hepatitis C who have it, but do not yet know it. With marked advances in treatment success, case identification is more important than ever.
expert care at mass general
The Hepatitis C and Co-infection Clinic at Mass General offers comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment for patients with all phases of hepatitis C infection. Learn more about the Hepatitis C and Co-infection Clinic
Q: How is hepatitis C treated?
A: Hepatitis C is usually treated with antiviral medication aimed at removing the virus from the body. Specific medication is recommended based on the type of virus in each patient. Treatment for genotype 1 hepatitis C involves a combination of peginterferon, ribavirin and either telaprevir or boceprevir. Treatment for genotypes 2 or 3 hepatitis C involves a combination of peginterferon and ribavirin.
Q: How do I get into a clinical trial that avoids interferon?
A: Please contact Raymond Chung, MD, director of the Hepatitis C and Co-infection Clinic, at rtchung@partners.org or 617-724-6006.
Q: If I enroll in such a clinical trial, will I get placebo?
A: It is highly unlikely that you will get a placebo. The current phase two trials are each administering active drug combinations rather than placebos.
Learn more about the Hepatitis C and Co-infection Clinic
Other Resources about Hepatitis C
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Learn more about clinical trials available to Mass General Liver Center patients.
