title: Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Austria.
abstract: In 12 of 54 (22%) patients with histologically verified hepatocellular carcinoma, antibodies to hepatitis C virus were found. In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma the frequency of anti-hepatitis C virus positivity was similar whether cirrhosis (6 of 22 patients (27%)) was present or not (2 of 15 (13%)). Out of 54, 23 patients (43%) were negative both for hepatitis B or C markers. Out of 53, 22 (42%) had positive hepatitis B markers, 8 of 22 were HBsAg positive. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis had a higher percentage of hepatitis B virus markers than patients with cirrhosis without hepatocellular carcinoma. Our of 70 patients with cirrhosis but without hepatocellular carcinoma, 24 (34%) had antibodies to hepatitis C virus. Our data of similar frequencies of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma or with liver cirrhosis but without hepatocellular carcinoma indicate that at least in Austrian patients, hepatitis C virus infections are not an important factor for development of hepatocellular carcinoma.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies