People who have hepatitis C virus (HCV) and advanced liver fibrosis or cirrhosis and are cured of the virus may experience normal lifespan, Medscape reports. Publishing their findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers conducted a retrospective study of 530 people with hep C and advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis who started treatment for the virus between 1990 and 2003 in Europe or Canada.

Out of the 192 people who were cured, 13 died. The cumulative 10-year overall survival rate among those who were cured was 91.1 percent. This figure was not significantly different from that of the age- and sex-matched general population.

Among those people who did not achieve a cure, 100 died. This translated to a cumulative 10-year survival rate of 74 percent, a figure significantly lower than that of the age- and sex-matched general population.

To read the study abstract, click here.

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To read a press release about the study, click here.