Prospective evaluation of infection with hepatitis G virus in relation to hepatocellular carcinoma in Shanghai, China.
The health consequences of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in humans remain to be determined. Inconsistent results of HGV and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been found in retrospective case-control studies. No prospective studies have addressed this issue. A prospective study including 18,244 men in Shanghai, China, was conducted to assess the role of HGV infection in HCC development. Serum HGV RNA and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were assessed in 127 HCC case patients and 660 matched control subjects drawn from the cohort. Four patients with HCC (3.1%) and 21 control subjects (3.2%) were positive for serum HGV RNA. The presence of HGV RNA in prediagnostic serum was not associated with the risk of HCC (odds ratio, 1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.3-2.9). No association between HGV RNA positivity and HCC risk was observed in either HBsAg-positive carriers or noncarriers. It is concluded that HGV infection plays no role in HCC development in this high-risk population.
Yuan
J M
JM
Dept. of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033-0800, USA. jyuan@hsc.usc.edu
Govindarajan
S
S
Gao
Y T
YT
Ross
R K
RK
Yu
M C
MC
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology*; D018067:Flaviviridae; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012306:Risk
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral