title: Hepatitis B virus infection and primary hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Ninety-three patients with biopsy-proven primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) from Uganda, Zambia, and the United States were examined for serologic evidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Patients were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and its antibody (anti-HBs), antibody to the hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), and its antibody (anti-HBe). Active HBV infection, as indicated by positive tests for HBsAg (with or without anti-HBs) and anti-HBc (without anti-HBs), was present in 62% of PHC patients (58 of 93), in contrast with 10% of African controls (9 of 90), and less than 1% of most United States adult populations reported in the literature. The presence of HBeAg or anti-HBe was rare among PHC patients and controls.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014454:Uganda; D014481:United States; D015024:Zambia
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens