The association between hepatitis C virus antibody and hepatocellular carcinoma in relation to hepatitis B viral infection (RAFH experinece).
Forty-two patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were seen during two years at Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital (RAFH), Saudi Arabia. As viral hepatitis is common in this country, serological markers for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the newly identified hepatitis C virus (HCV) were also studied in these patients. Fourteen (33.3%) patients were HBsAg positive, 11 (26.2%) were anti-HCV positive, two (4.8%) were positive for both HBsAg and anti-HCV and five (11.9%) were anti-HBc and anti-HBs positive. The remaining ten patients all were negative for markers. Serological markers were also studied in 1472 blood donors (control group) during the same period. Twenty-two (1.5%) were positive for anti-HCV, 59 (4%) for HBsAg and two (0.1%) for both markers. Our results are in accordance with previous studies carried out elsewhere, and it is suggested that hepatitis C virus like hepatitis B, may play an important etiological role in hepatocellular carcinoma in Saudi Arabia.
Saeed
A A
AA
Departments of Pathology and Gastroenterology Division, Department of Medicine, Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ahmed
A M
AM
Al-Karawi
M A
MA
Mohamed
A R
AR
Al-Saud
A A
AA
Shariq
S A
SA