Patient description: A 53-year-old man presents with chronic HCV infection for the past 2 years. His past medical history is only significant for inguinal hernia surgery when he was 20 years old. He is on IFN (100 mg/week) plus RBV (400 mg/day) combination therapy for the past 9 months. Direct antiviral drugs were added to his treatment 6 months ago. His medical record shows previous positive HCV RNA tests as well as positive enzyme immunoassay for anti-HCV-antibodies. The recent biopsy was negative for hepatocellular carcinoma and was only remarkable for chronic inflammation compatible with a chronic viral hepatitis. There is no evidence of alcoholic liver disease, bleeding from esophageal varices, hemochromatosis, autoimmune hepatitis or metabolic liver disease. He is an alert male with no acute distress. His BP: 130/75, HR: 90/min and BMI: 27. His abdomen is soft with no ascites or tenderness. The lower extremities are normal with no edema.

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 18.0-80.0,  Chronic Hepatitis C Neoplasms Male and female patients >18 years of age Local or Systemic malignancy other than hepatocellular carcinoma in remission or stable status Patients have never been treated with traditional interferon plus ribavirin or peginterferon plus ribavirin Serologic evidence of chronic hepatitis C infection by an anti-HCV antibody test Detectable serum HCV-RNA Liver biopsy findings consistent with the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C infection with or without compensated cirrhosis (Exception: hemophiliacs in whom biopsy is medically contra-indicated do not require biopsy.) Compensated liver disease (Child-Pugh Grade A clinical classification) Negative urine or blood pregnancy test (for women of childbearing potential) documented within the 24-hour period prior to the first dose of study drug All fertile males and females receiving ribavirin must be using two forms of effective contraception during treatment and during the 6 months after treatment end  Women with ongoing pregnancy or breast feeding Present therapy with any systemic anti-neoplastic or immunomodulatory treatment (including supraphysiologic doses of steroids and radiation) within 6 months prior to the first dose of study drug Any investigational drug 6 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug Co-infection with active hepatitis A, hepatitis B and/or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) History or other evidence of a medical condition associated with chronic liver disease other than HCV (e.g., hemochromatosis, autoimmune hepatitis, metabolic liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, toxin exposures) Clinical evidence of hepatocellular carcinoma History or other evidence of bleeding from esophageal varices or other conditions consistent with decompensated liver disease Neutrophil count <1500 cells/mm3 or platelet count <90,000 cells/mm3 at screening Serum creatinine level >1.5 times the upper limit of normal at screening History of severe psychiatric disease, especially depression. Severe psychiatric disease is defined as treatment with an antidepressant medication or a major tranquilizer at therapeutic doses for major depression or psychosis, respectively, for at least 3 months at any previous time or any history of the following: a suicidal attempt, hospitalization for psychiatric disease, or a period of disability due to a psychiatric disease