Increased risk of chronic hepatitis in children with cancer.
BACKGROUND
There is a risk of viral hepatitis for children with cancer. Both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in countries with high prevalence cause major problems in the management of cancer patients. In this study, we evaluated the incidence and chronicity of HBV and HCV infections in children with malignant diseases receiving chemotherapy.


METHODS
One hundred ninety-eight children with cancer (mean age = 7.5 +/- 2.5 years) and 100 healthy children as a control group were screened for HBV and HCV. Liver function tests, the number of transfusions, HBV and HCV serology were regularly monitored. In seropositive children, HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA were measured. Chronic hepatitis was defined as having an alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level three times of upper normal limit, positive HBV and HCV antigenemia for longer than 6 months. Liver biopsies were performed in all children with chronic hepatitis. The relationship between the chronic hepatitis and study parameters was statistically analyzed.


RESULTS
HBsAg positivity, anti-HCV, and mixed (HBV and HCV) infection were found in 11.6, 5.5, 2% of children, respectively. Most HBV infected children developed chronic hepatitis (48%) while 26 and 21.7% became carriers and immune, respectively. One died of acute fulminant HBV hepatitis. Of HCV infected children, 63.6% also had positive HCV-RNA. Four children with mixed infection (100%) all progressed to chronic hepatitis. In this setting, chronic hepatitis was observed in 22 of 38 infected children (57.8%). The majority had leukemia and lymphoma. Children with HBsAg antigenemia developed chronic hepatitis in shorter time than HCV positive children (median 13 months vs. 51 months, P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
We observed an increased incidence of chronic hepatitis and even mortality due to HBV infection. This suggests that HBV and HCV infections are serious causes of morbidity and mortality in children with cancer.
Sevinir
Betül
B
Department of Pediatric Oncology, Uludağ University, Faculty of Medicine, Görükle, Bursa, Turkey. adaletm@uludag.edu.tr
Meral
Adalet
A
Günay
Unsal
U
Ozkan
Tanju
T
Ozuysal
Sema
S
Sinirtas
Melda
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D001761:Bleomycin; D014747:Vinblastine; D003606:Dacarbazine; D004317:Doxorubicin