title: Polymerase chain reaction to detect hepatitis B virus DNA and RNA sequences in primary liver cancers from patients negative for hepatitis B surface antigen.
abstract: METHODS
  The role of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the course of patients with primary liver cancer who are negative for hepatitis B surface antigen has been debated. We used the polymerase chain reaction to evaluate 28 such patients for the presence of DNA and RNA sequences of the virus; 22 of these patients had associated cirrhosis. The patients were from areas with different prevalences of HBV infection (South Africa, Italy, France, and Japan).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibodies to the surface and core antigens of HBV were detected in 10 of the 23 patients tested. HBV DNA sequences were detected in 17 of the 28 patients, including 8 of the 10 with HBV antibodies and 6 of 13 without HBV serologic markers. HBV RNA molecules were found in four of five tumors tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our investigation indicates that transcriptionally active HBV genomes are present in various geographic areas among patients with liver cancer who are negative for hepatitis B surface antigen. This observation is consistent with an etiologic role for the virus in the development of these tumors.
authors.affiliation: INSERM Unité 75, Centre hospitalier universitaire Necker, Paris, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paterlini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerken
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Terre
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Errico
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grigioni
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nalpas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wands
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kew
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral