Hepatitis C virus antibody in patients with primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, and combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma) in Japan.
BACKGROUND
In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) has been reported, indicating that it may be an important etiologic factor in the pathogenesis of HCC. In this study, the authors investigated the prevalence of anti-HCV in HCC patients, as well as the same prevalence in patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CC) and combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (combined HCC-CC), to study the clinicopathologic features of anti-HCV-positive cases.


METHODS
The authors examined 141 patients with primary liver cancer who were pathologically diagnosed as having HCC (121 cases), CC (13 cases), or combined HCC-CC (7 cases). Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HCV were measured in these patients.


RESULTS
Of 121 HCC cases, 85 (70.3%) were found to be anti-HCV positive, 16 (13.2%) were HBsAg positive, and 5 (4.1%) were both anti-HCV and HBsAg positive. In 13 cases with CC and in 7 with combined HCC-CC examined, 4 (30.8%) and 5 (71.4%), respectively, were anti-HCV positive.


CONCLUSIONS
The anti-HCV-positive rate was high in combined HCC-CC as well as in HCC. These three types of primary liver cancer, which were anti-HCV positive, shared two common features: male dominance and high incidences of complication with liver cirrhosis.
Tomimatsu
M
M
Department of Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Japan.
Ishiguro
N
N
Taniai
M
M
Okuda
H
H
Saito
A
A
Obata
H
H
Yamamoto
M
M
Takasaki
K
K
Nakano
M
M
D002759:Adenoma, Bile Duct / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens