Alex found out he has hepatitis B during community screening and has continued to follow up regularly since then. Two years ago, his liver enzymes began to rise, and the doctor recommended starting medication. Alex hopes that Taiwan’s health insurance can relax the number of years of hepatitis B drug treatment and provide doctors with longer consultation time. He also suggests that patients can make more use of community internal medicine clinics for follow-up. Hepatitis B is the main cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Early treatment of hepatitis B can reduce the risk of liver diseases.

Susan found out that she had hepatitis B during her pregnancy check-up. Later, her parents and husband were all found to have either hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or both. Luckily, her parents were successfully cured of the infections, and her husband is on long-term antiviral therapy. They all have healthy liver conditions and she hope that everyone with hepatitis B (or C) can have access to treatment. Hepatitis B is the main cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Early treatment of hepatitis B can reduce the risk of liver diseases.

Stanly discovered he had chronic hepatitis B during a health check in vocational school, but did not pay much attention to it. Before his military service, his liver function test showed abnormal results, but he had no symptoms and remained unconcerned. It wasn't until he started working that he experienced two episodes of acute hepatitis, with symptoms like loss of appetite and jaundice. After recovering from two hospitalizations, he seemed to be fine. Over the next ten years, a company health check revealed cirrhosis and moderate fatty liver. Stanly then successfully lost weight and eliminated the fatty liver, and has continued antiviral treatment for hepatitis B to this day.

Lynette discovered she had hepatitis B during a health check-up at nursing school before her hospital internship. She was the only one in her family with the virus. Five years ago, she faced a dilemma about whether to start treatment, as her liver test results were normal. Ultimately, she decided to proceed with antiviral treatment. Lynette is grateful to her doctors for their support, especially as she was later diagnosed with breast and thyroid cancers.

Jason contracted Hepatitis B and C due to a bone marrow transplant at a young age. Despite undergoing interferon treatment 12 years ago, he was unable to clear the viruses. Six years later, he successfully cured his hepatitis C using self-procured generic direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). To celebrate curing HCV, he went on a trip to Japan with his family, but fell ill upon arrival. He promptly returned to Taiwan and was hospitalized for acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B and was prepared for a liver transplantation.

Shane knew he had hepatitis B when he was in middle school and started regular check-ups 10 years ago. But because every check-up showed no problems, hepatitis B was never taken seriously and never treated. Later, due to busy work, he did not return for follow-up for two years. Unfortunately, when he returned for a follow-up visit four years ago, he unexpectedly discovered an 8.5-centimeter liver cancer tumor! Shane urged people with hepatitis B to return for regular check-ups without interruption. He also encouraged people with hepatitis B to receive antiviral drug treatment as early as possible to reduce the risk of liver cancer.

CC discovered he had Hepatitis B in high school during a blood donation. His hepatitis B was due to mother-to-child vertical transmission. Despite routine health check-ups, CC experienced an episode of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) at the age of 48. He was hospitalized for a month and luckily recovered. Despite the acute nature of his severe hepatitis, CC wasn't able to get immediate antiviral treatment at a local hospital due to policy restriction on prescription eligibility to specialists. CC urges the government and policy makers to relax treatment guideline for hepatitis B and emphasize that antiviral treatment not only control the virus but also lower the risk of liver cancer, one of the leading cause of cancer death in Taiwan.

Jamie discovered she had Hepatitis B during her freshman health check-up in college. Both her maternal grandmother and her mother have chronic Hepatitis B infections. With her ongoing battle against Lupus and undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, she had begun antiviral therapy for her Hepatitis B. Jamie urges young individuals to speak out about their infections to combat societal stigma and anticipates more effective treatments in the future. She emphasizes that treating Hepatitis B is less costly than treating liver cancer, pointing to the importance of starting treatment early before it progresses to liver cancer.

Cash knew that she had hepatitis B at the age of 14, during a regular school health check-up. She was told that everything was fine, no need for treatment. Unfortunately, a liver tumor was discovered and found to be a malignant cancer. She underwent surgery and took part in a clinical trial to prevent the cancer from coming back, and started to take antiviral to control the virus.

During his freshman health check-up in college, Jacky discovered he had hepatitis B. Initially informed that no treatment was required as everything seemed fine. However, last year, he encountered esophageal bleeding stemming from liver cirrhosis. Following surgery, he commenced antiviral therapy and refrained from consuming alcohol.

Xiaohui has been a carrier of hepatitis B since childhood, but she has always been healthy and symptom-free. Her liver shows no signs of inflammation, fibrosis or cirrhosis, and she rarely even catches a cold. Regrettably, a massive liver tumor was discovered at the age of 36. Despite surgical removal, it unfortunately recurred and had spread to other organs. Xiaohui is on targeted drug therapy covered by government health insurance. If the drug fails one day, she hopes the government will continue to help her. Xiaohui does not meet government insurance criteria for the latest immunotherapy plus targeted drug. She is now being treated with chemotherapy and a second line immunotherapy at her own expense. We urge the Taiwan government to expand access to first-line immunotherapy and targeted drugs, giving Xiaohui a better chance to survive and raise her children. Hepatitis B is the main cause of liver cancer. There are vaccines to prevent infection and drugs to control the virus. Vaccination and treatment can greatly reduce liver cancer risk.

At birth, Mike Lin contracted the hepatitis B virus through vertical transmission from his mother. However, he showed no obvious symptoms until a severe and sudden flare of hepatitis in 2005. He then began oral antiviral treatment, which he continues to this day to control the virus. In 2012, he discovered a liver tumor for the first time. Despite surgical removal, it unfortunately recurred twice. After multiple surgeries, embolizations (TAE), and Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatments, he is fortunate to have stabilized both his hepatitis B and liver cancer for many years. Mike urges individuals with chronic hepatitis B to undergo regular check-ups and to eliminate unhealthy habits, allowing them to lead lives similar to those without the condition. Hepatitis B is a primary cause of liver cancer, but it can be prevented with a vaccine and controlled with medication. These interventions significantly reduce the likelihood of developing liver cancer.