title: Biologic significance of the detection of HBsAg and HBcAg in liver and tumor from 204 HBsAg-positive patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus surface and core antigens (HBsAg, HBcAg) were examined in the resected primary hepatocellular carcinoma from 204 patients who had HBsAg in serum. Ninety patients had small (less than 5 cm) and 114 had large hepatocellular carcinoma (greater than 5 cm). HBsAg was detected in hepatocellular carcinoma in 65 cases (32%) and HBcAg in 30 cases (14.7%); hepatitis B virus antigens were more frequently detected in small (HBsAg in 42.2% and HBcAg in 20%) than in large hepatocellular carcinoma (HBsAg 23.7% and HBcAg 10.5%). These results suggest that replicative forms of hepatitis B virus DNA may exist in hepatocellular carcinoma more frequently than previously believed and that the malignant hepatocytes can support hepatitis B virus replication. A lymphocytic infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma was more often observed in hepatocellular carcinoma expressing HBsAg (71%) or HBcAg (63%) than in hepatocellular carcinoma with no detectable HBsAg (26%) or HBcAg (37%), p less than 0.01. The reaction was mild in the majority (85%) of the cases. These findings suggest that hepatitis B virus antigen expression in hepatocellular carcinoma can provoke a local immune response. The most striking finding was that patients with hepatitis B virus antigens in small hepatocellular carcinoma had a 5-year survival rate (13%) lower than that (50%) of the antigen-negative patients (p less than 0.05). In contrast, patients with a marked local immune response in hepatocellular carcinoma, regardless of the viral antigen status, had significantly better 5-year survival rates (43%) than those with no or a mild lymphocytic reaction (18%). These findings indicate that a marked immune response in hepatocellular carcinoma is a favorable prognostic sign.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Republic of China.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sheu
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens