Lack of correlation between hepatitis B virus infection and the increasing incidence of primary liver cancer in Sweden.
The incidence of primary carcinoma of the liver in Sweden has been reported to increase. In order to study the role of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection for liver cancer development 40 cases with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were examined for the presence of HBV surface antigen and HBV core antigen in the cancer and in the surrounding non-neoplastic liver tissue. It was not possible to demonstrate a single case with tissue HBV antigen, indicating that HBV plays a minor role in the etiology of HCC in Sweden and thus does not seem to be responsible for the increasing incidence of this cancer.
Kaczynski
J
J
Department of Medicine, Ostra Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Hansson
G
G
Norkrans
G
G
Wallerstedt
S
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015994:Incidence; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens