Detection of serum HBV DNA and anti-HCV antibody in HBsAg seronegative patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Japan.
One hundred eight patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) underwent serologic testing for HBsAg, antibodies to HBs (anti-HBs), HBc (anti-HBc) and HCV (anti-HCV), and an assay for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Ten (9.3%) of the 108 patients were positive for HBsAg and 96 (88.8%) were positive for anti-HCV. Both HBsAg and anti-HCV were present in 4 (3.7%) of the 108 patients. HBV DNA was detected in the serum of all patients who were positive for HBsAg and 9 (9.2%) of the 98 patients who were HBsAg-negative. Anti-HBc was positive and anti-HBs was negative in 8 of these 9 HBsAg negative patients with HBV DNA. HBsAg, HBV DNA and anti-HCV were negative in 6 (5.5%) of the 108 patients. These results suggest that HCV is highly associated with HCC and that HBV is occasionally associated with HCC even when HBsAg is negative.
Tokeshi
S
S
Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
Sata
M
M
Tanikawa
K
K
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies