title: Hepatitis B virus genotypes and hepatocellular carcinoma in Thailand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes on the clinical features and prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the distribution of HBV genotypes and their clinical relevance in Thai patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  HBV genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP in stored sera of 93 asymptomatic carriers, 103 patients with chronic hepatitis, 60 patients with cirrhosis and 76 patients with HCC. The clinical data were analyzed in relation to the HBV genotype.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HBV genotypes C and B were predominant in Thailand, accounting for 73% and 21%, respectively. The distributions of genotypes B and C were similar in HCC patients compared to the other groups. Genotype C was significantly more common in HCC patients who were under 40 years old than genotype B (18% vs 0%, P = 0.03), but was significantly less common in patients older than 60 years (26% vs 56.5%, P = 0.01). The positive rate of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) in patients with genotype C was significantly higher than that in patients with genotype B (71.6% vs 44.4%, P = 0.03 in chronic hepatitis; 56.8% vs 11.1%, P = 0.01 in cirrhosis). There were no differences between HCC patients with genotypes B and C regarding tumor staging by CLIP criteria and the overall median survival. Multivariate analyses showed that HBV genotype was not an independent prognostic factor of survival in HCC patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with genotype C had a higher positive rate of HBeAg and exhibited earlier progression of cirrhosis and HCC than those with genotype B. However, there were no differences in the risk of developing HCC and its prognosis between patients with these genotypes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Pisit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tangkijvanich
authors.forename: Varocha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mahachai
authors.forename: Piyawat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Komolmit
authors.forename: Juthatip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fongsarun
authors.forename: Apiradee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Theamboonlers
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Poovorawan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013785:Thailand