Hepatitis C and B viruses in hepatitis B surface antigen-negative hepatocellular carcinoma.
The relative role of hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus in hepatitis B surface antigen-negative hepatocellular carcinoma was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction in 31 patients from Taiwan. Twenty-one were positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus (group 1) and 10 were negative (group 2). Of the group 1 patients, hepatitis C viral RNA was detected in the serum by polymerase chain reaction in 16 and in the liver tissue in 17, whereas hepatitis B viral DNA was found in the liver tissue in only 4, and none were found in the serum. In group 2 patients, hepatitis C viral RNA was detected in the serum of 1 and in the liver tissue of another. In contrast, hepatitis B viral DNA was found in the serum of 4 patients and in the liver tissues of 5. It was concluded that hepatitis C virus plays an important role in hepatocarcinogenesis in hepatitis B surface antigen-negative patients in Taiwan, especially in those who had antibody to hepatitis C virus; in those without antibody to hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus might still be associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in a significant proportion of such patients.
Sheu
J C
JC
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Republic of China.
Huang
G T
GT
Shih
L N
LN
Lee
W C
WC
Chou
H C
HC
Wang
J T
JT
Lee
P H
PH
Lai
M Y
MY
Wang
C Y
CY
Yang
P M
PM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral