Previous or occult hepatitis B virus infection in hepatitis C virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma without hepatic fibrosis.
We investigated the role of hepatitis B virus infection in development of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C virus-infected patients without hepatic fibrosis. Of 253 patients, 8 lacked hepatic fibrosis (group 1); group 2 included the remaining 245 patients. Clinicopathologic findings were compared between the groups. Hepatitis B x gene was sought in cancers and adjoining noncancerous liver. Group 1 showed better liver function parameters and milder active hepatitis than group 2. The proportion of patients with anti-hepatitis B virus antibody tended to be higher in group 1 than in group 2. The proportion of patients with hepatitis B x RNA in cancers was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2. All group 1 patients had previous or occult hepatitis B virus infection. Previous or occult hepatitis B virus infection may be critical in development of hepatocellular carcinomas in hepatitis C virus-infected patients without hepatic fibrosis.
Kubo
S
S
Second Department of Surgery, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahimachi, Japan.
Tamori
A
A
Ohba
K
K
Shuto
T
T
Yamamoto
T
T
Tanaka
H
H
Nishiguchi
S
S
Wakasa
K
K
Hirohashi
K
K
Kinoshita
H
H
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000821:virology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral