Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of antiviral therapy with entecavir on HBV reactivation in serum HBV DNA negative hepatitis B virus infection-reduced patients with hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） receiving transcatheter arterial chemoemholization（TACE）. Methods Forty-five patients with serum HBV DNA negative HBV-related HCC were randomly divided into observation group（n=23） and control group（n=22）. All patients in the two groups received TACE at base of conventional supporting treatment. Patients in observation group received entecavir before and after TACE. Serum HBV markers,HBV DNA and blood biochemical parameters were routinely assayed. The efficacy was evaluated by response evaluation criteria in solid tumors （RECIST） by world health organization. Results At the end of 24 w,serum HBV DNA in the observation group was still less than 2 lg IU/mL,while it increased to（4.10±2.86） lg IU/mL in the control group（P<0.05）;Serum HBV DNA positive rate in observation group was 8.7%,significantly lower than 36.4% in the control group（P<0.01）;The incidence of liver failure in observation group and control group were 0.0% and 22.7% respectively, without significant difference between the two groups（P>0.05）;At the end of 12 w,serum level of ALT in the observation group was （56.75±20.74） IU/L,significantly lower than （125.78±42.75） IU/L in the control group, and PTA was （48.65±8.26）%,significantly higher than （42.74±7.42）% in the control group （P<0.05）;At the end of 24 w,serum ALT level and Child-Pugh scores in observation group were （50.73±18.45） IU/L and（6.26±1.46）,respectively,significantly lower than （97.48±30.56） IU/L and（7.84±1.65） in the control group,and PTA was （52.45±9.10）%,significantly higher than （39.56±6.78） % in the control group （P<0.01）;There was no significant difference in clinical efficacy by RECIST between the two groups（P>0.05）;The 2-year survival rate in the observation group was 69.6%,significantly higher than 36.36% in the control group（P<0.05）,while there were no significant differences as respect to the 1-year survival rates between the two groups（P>0.05）. Conclusion Antiviral therapy with entecavir for serum HBV DNA negative HBV-related HCC patients can prevent the reactivation of hepatitis B virus, and improve liver function after TACE.

Key words: Hepatoma, Entecavir, Hepatitis B virus DNA-negative, Hepatitis B viral reactivation