title: Possible contribution of prior hepatitis B virus infection to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of prior hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and its role in hepatocarcinogenesis are not clear. The aim of the present study is to clarify the importance of prior HBV infection in development of HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 1288 consecutive HCC patients between January 1999 and October 2002, 1008 patients were enrolled. To determine the influence of prior HBV infection in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative HCC, the prevalence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) was examined according to age, and the clinical features were compared between the anti-HBc positive and the negative groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of HBsAg-negative HCC patients, HCC patients with antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV; C-HCC) and HCC patients negative for both HBsAg and anti-HCV (nBnC-HCC), increased with age. The anti-HBc-positive rates in C-HCC patients also increased with age. Those rates in nBnC-HCC patients were >50% in all age groups. Furthermore, it was found that the anti-HBc-positive rates of these patients were higher than those of corresponding control patients. Tumor size and a positive rate for vessel involvement both in C-HCC and nBnC-HCC patients were larger and higher, respectively, in anti-HBc-positive patients compared with anti-HBc-negative patients, although the difference in nBnC-HCC did not reach statistical significance because of the small numbers. These tumor characteristics were similar to those of B-HCC patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A possible contribution of prior HBV infection to the development of HCC is indicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Disease, Okayama University School of Medicine, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama 700-8558, Japan. hironori@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nouso
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Shin-Ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Toshikuni
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneyoshi
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohsawa
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takaguchi
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujio
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Senoh
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.forename: Kohsaku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiratori
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015994:Incidence; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase