title: A serological case-control study of primary hepatocellular carcinoma in Guangxi, China.
abstract: Guangxi is a very high-risk area for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC); the age-standardized (world population) rates for males and females in that Chinese Autonomous Region were 32.5 and 8.5, respectively. Blood specimens from 50 PHC patients and 50 age- and sex-matched controls in Guangxi were analyzed for hepatitis B surface antigen, antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen, and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. Eighty-six % of cases were hepatitis B surface antigen positive, compared to 22% of controls (relative risk, 17.0). We estimate from the data that persistent hepatitis B virus infection can account for at least 80% of all PHC cases occurring in Guangxi. The consistency of our findings with those from Hong Kong and Taiwan strongly suggests that hepatitis B virus infection is also an important risk factor for PHC in other parts of southern China.
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D002681:China; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens