title: High prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibody and RNA in patients with oral cancer.
abstract: We have investigated the correlation between the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is detectable in saliva, and oral cancer and other digestive tract cancers in the Northern Kyushu region of Japan. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in sera from 24 of the 100 patients with oral cancer (24%, p < 0.05 vs the control group, p < 0.01 vs the stomach cancer group), in 11 of 104 patients with non-malignant diseases receiving dental treatment (the control group, 10.6%), and in 12 of 113 patients with stomach cancer (10.6%). HCV-RNA was detected in sera from 17 of 100 oral cancer patients (17%, p < 0.05 vs the control group) and 4 of 104 patients of the control group (3.9%). These results indicate a high prevalence of HCV infection in oral cancer patients, which warrants a systematic study of etiological associations between oral cancer and HCV.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000821:virology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral