title: Association between hepatitis C virus antibodies and hepatocellular carcinoma in Taiwan.
abstract: In order to assess the association between antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as the interaction of anti-HCV with other HCC risk factors in Taiwan, a total of 127 pairs of newly diagnosed HCC patients and healthy community controls were studied. Case-control pairs were individually matched for age (+/- 3 years), sex, residence, and ethnicity. Serum samples from study subjects were examined for anti-HCV by enzyme immunoassays as well as hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and e antigen (HBeAg) by radioimmunoassays using commercial kits. The habits of cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, and peanut consumption were obtained through standardized interviews according to a structured questionnaire. Both the anti-HCV as well as the carrier status of HBsAg and HBeAg were significantly associated with HCC showing a multivariate-adjusted odds ratio of 24.8 for carriers of HBsAg alone, 33.5 for carriers of both HBsAg and HBeAg, and 23.7 for those who were positive for anti-HCV. The population-attributable risk percentage was estimated as 3% for anti-HCV alone, 69% for HBsAg carrier status alone, and 6% for both anti-HCV and HBsAg in Taiwan. There were also synergistic effects on HCC development for anti-HCV with HBsAg carrier status, cigarette smoking, and habitual alcohol drinking.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Liaw
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D010367:Arachis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens