title: Primary hepatocellular carcinoma in intertropical Africa: relationship between age and hepatitis B virus etiology.
abstract: Clinical observations of patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) at Le Dantec Hospital, Dakar, Senegal, were studied to determine a correlation with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Of the 103 patients with PHC, 80 had an active HBV infection (HBsAg and/or anti-HBc); 23 showed signs of previous HBV infection (anti-HBs and anti-HBc). The two groups were similar in the detection of alpha-fetoprotein (approximately 60%) and in the major clinical findings: hepatomegaly, 76.25% and 86.96%, respectively; and ascites, 57.50% and 47.83%, respectively. Jaundice, however, was three times more frequent (P < 0.01) in the group of patients with signs of active HBV replication. Distribution of HBV markers as a function of age at onset of PHC revealed that the presence of HBsAg was primarily confined to the sera of the younger patients (< 50 yr old). When compared with leprosy patients and blood donors, the younger PHC patients differed in the frequency of detection of HBsAg and anti-HBs. The older people (> 50 yr old) in the three groups (PHC patients, leprosy patients, and blood donors) had identical HBV markers.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012675:Senegal; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins