title: Replication of hepatitis B virus in first-degree relatives of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may occur in family clusters. No genetic mechanism has been identified as responsible for this familial tendency. We suspected that a longer hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication phase might be the reason for a higher risk of HCC in families with this disease. We performed liver biochemical tests, test for viral hepatitis markers and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), and liver ultrasonography in relatives of patients with HCC. A total of 1,885 first-degree relatives from 688 families participated in this study. Seven hundred fifty-two relatives were found to be carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and 675 of them were tested for HBeAg. The prevalence of HBeAg was 27.4% in relatives of those with HCC and 20% in asymptomatic HBsAg carriers. The HBeAg prevalence rate was higher in relatives of those with HCC > or = 40 years old than in asymptomatic HBsAg carriers. Moreover, HBeAg was more likely to persist in men than in women > or = 40 years old. We conclude that families with HCC showed a prolonged HBV replication phase that may be one of the cofactors for a familial tendency for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical Center, and Chang Gung University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Changchien
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009679:Nuclear Family; D015995:Prevalence; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014779:Virus Replication; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins