Patients with chronic hepatitis B with liver stiffness of 11 kilopascals (kPa) or more are about 3.3 times more likely to develop liver cancer than those without, according to a new study.

According to Inha University Hospital on Wednesday, a research team led by Professor Jin Young-joo of the Department of Gastroenterology recently released the findings, paving the way to predict the risk of hepatitis B virus and hepatocellular carcinoma.

The study was a meta-analysis that systematically analyzed the risk of liver cancer in chronic hepatitis B patients using Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography (VCTE) to measure the stiffness of the liver through liver fibrosis scans. A meta-analysis is a research technique in which the results of individual studies are collected and statistically reanalyzed.

Chronic hepatitis B is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Traditionally, liver biopsy has been the standard of care to diagnose cirrhosis. Still, it is an invasive procedure that is difficult to use in clinical practice.

In contrast, the liver fibrosis scan used in this study noninvasively measures the liver's stiffness and is considered a useful tool for early detection of cirrhosis and prediction of liver cancer risk.

The researchers analyzed relevant articles published between 2010 and 2023 and found that chronic hepatitis B patients with liver stiffness measured by liver fibrosis scanning of 11 kPa or more had about 3.33 times higher risk of developing liver cancer than those without.

Notably, the sensitivity of predicting the occurrence of liver cancer based on stiffness of 11 kPa or more was 61 percent, and the specificity was 78 percent, improving the accuracy of diagnosis.

“Patients with high liver stiffness are at high risk of developing liver cancer, so more thorough surveillance and management of these patients is necessary,” Professor Jin said.