title: Anti-HCV antibodies and hepatocellular carcinoma. Relationship in a medium-risk population.
abstract: By means of an accurate immunoenzymatic assay, the prevalence was studied of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) in three different populations: 74 patients affected with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on preexisting cirrhosis, 82 patients with liver cirrhosis but with no apparent neoplasm, and 70 control subjects, hospitalized for various conditions, of internal medicine or geriatric interest. 70.2% of HCC patients exhibited anti-HBC antibodies, versus 47.5% of cirrhotic subjects with no tumor and 7.1% of controls. Such results suggest the possible role of HCV in the etiopathogenesis of HCC, and its possible synergy with other agents-e.g., hepatitis B virus, alcohol--in causing chronically injured hepatocytes to become neoplastic.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Terapia Medica, Università degli Studi di Pavia, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moroni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nastasi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Casagranda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies