title: Clinical features of patients with HCC who are negative for both HBV and HCV markers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to clarify the clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma that are negative for both hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis C antibody.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were classified according to viral markers: 45 patients (82%) had hepatitis B (B-HCC), 467 patients (82%) had hepatitis C (C-HCC), and 53 patients (9%) had neither hepatitis B nor hepatitis C (NBNC-HCC). Differences in clinical parameters among these three groups were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with NBNC-HCC were older than B-HCC and C-HCC patients. The incidence of alcoholism in NBNC-HCC patients was higher than in C-HCC patients. Patients with NBNC-HCC had similar rates of positive antibody to hepatitis B core antigen as did patients with C-HCC. NBNC-HCC patients were further classified according to median age. The younger group showed a greater tendency towards alcoholism than did the aged group. Liver functioning in the younger group was worse than in the older group. The older group had larger tumors than the younger group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The livers of younger NBNC-HCC patients were more cirrhotic, possibly because of alcoholism. Older NBNC-HCC patients presented with larger tumors, possibly because they did not receive regular medical check-ups due to their relatively preserved liver function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan. WATABEH-INT@h.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hirotsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watabe
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiratori
authors.forename: Ryousuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tateishi
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujishima
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akamatsu
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Shuntaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Obi
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamamura
authors.forename: Shinpei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Takuma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Teratani
authors.forename: Shuichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiina
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Omata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008111:Liver Function Tests / Q000145:classification; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens