High prevalence of infection with hepatitis B and C viruses in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Japan.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatitis B and C viruses are closely associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. We studied the prevalence of infection with either virus in patients with this cancer by examination of sera and tumor tissue.


METHODS
Serum samples obtained before treatment from 330 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were assayed for antibodies against hepatitis C virus and against hepatitis B surface and core antigen. Tumor tissues from 65 patients were examined for hepatitis B virus RNA.


RESULTS
Of the 330 patients, 87 had anti-hepatitis C alone; 161 had anti-hepatitis C and anti-hepatitis B (core); 13 had anti-hepatitis C and anti-hepatitis B (surface); 39 had anti-hepatitis B (surface) alone; and, 19 had anti-hepatitis B (core) alone. Eleven patients had none of these. Hepatitis B virus genes were detected in tumor tissue in all 13 patients with anti-surface antibody, in 21 of 30 patients with anti-core antibody, and in 9 of 22 patients without hepatitis B antibodies. Viral genes were detected in tumor tissue in 5 of 11 patients with neither B nor C virus markers in their sera; viral markers were found in either serum or tumor tissue in 324 of 330 patients (98.2%).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of hepatitis B or C virus infection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Japan is extremely high. The prevalence of co-infection with both viruses is also high.
Kubo
S
S
Second Department of Surgery, Osaka City University Medical School, Japan.
Nishiguchi
S
S
Hirohashi
K
K
Tanaka
H
H
Tsukamoto
T
T
Hamba
H
H
Shuto
T
T
Okuda
T
T
Tamori
A
A
Kuroki
T
T
Kinoshita
H
H
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification
D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral