title: High prevalence of infection with hepatitis B and C viruses in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Japan.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, Osaka City University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishiguchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirohashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukamoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamba
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shuto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamori
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuroki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral