title: Hepatitis B virus and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
abstract: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a rare type of primary liver cancer that arises from intrahepatic bile ducts. Its etiopathogenesis has been considered to be independent of the presence of chronic viral hepatitis infections or cirrhosis. These factors, particularly the hepatitis C virus, have been reported to play a role in the development of cholangiocarcinoma in a few studies, with inconclusive results. We report 2 cases of ICC that presented with a background of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and discuss the possible pathophysiological relationships between ICC and HBV infection, with an emphasis on the x gene of HBV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Academic Liver Unit & Research Lab of Internal Medicine), Medical School, University of Thessaly, Thessaly, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Gatselis
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tepetes
authors.forename: Argirios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loukopoulos
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vasiou
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zafiriou
authors.forename: Chrisoula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gioti
authors.forename: Georgios N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Dalekos
mesh_terms: D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed