title: Clinical impact of screening first-degree relatives of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Family history is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the risk of first-degree relatives is not known. To investigate the risk of HCC among the first-degree relatives of probands and whether screening can lead to early diagnosis of HCCs in these relatives, we conducted a screening program. The probands' first-degree relatives who were >20 years old were included. Serum aminotransferase, hepatitis viral marker, alpha-fetoprotein, and abdominal sonography were done. HCCs were found in 20 (1.9%) of the 1,046 first-degree relatives, especially in the male siblings. Eighty-five percent of these 20 HCC patients were hepatitis B virus carriers. Forty percent of these 20 HCC patients had tumors <5 cm. Approximately 55% of these 20 HCCs were resectable. The 1-year survival rate in these 20 HCC patients with resectable HCCs was 72.7%. However, the overall 1-year survival rate was only 40%. We found HCC in 1.9% of the first-degree relatives of HCC patients. The male relatives, especially the older brothers, were the group at highest risk. The familial HCCs were closely related to the hepatitis B virus infection. To detect HCCs early, initial screening should be done as early as possible on the HCC family members.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sheu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D002353:Carrier State / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005820:Genetic Testing; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D014463:Ultrasonography