Oncologists and hepatitis B: a survey to determine current level of awareness and practice of antiviral prophylaxis to prevent reactivation.
OBJECTIVE
The risk of chronic hepatitis B virus reactivation under the influence of chemotherapy or immunosuppression is being increasingly recognized. However, many oncologists either have not observed this complication or are not aware of current recommendations for hepatitis B prophylaxis. Our aims were to determine the awareness of the reactivation risk and to understand the screening and prevention practices among oncologists.


METHODS
A questionnaire survey was administered to oncologists in the Washington, D.C., area.


RESULTS
Responses from 131 practitioners to the 10 questions were received. Nearly 80% of respondents were aware of reactivation, but only 30% had seen a case and only 56% were aware of prophylactic therapy. Fourteen percent of oncologists screened all patients, whereas 86% screened selectively based on risk factors. Most (76%) would use prophylaxis in a patient with active hepatitis B virus, but only about half would treat chronic carriers or those with resolved infection. Regarding choice of prophylaxis, nearly half (48%) were unsure of which agent to use.


CONCLUSIONS
Improving awareness of hepatitis B virus reactivation and antiviral prophylaxis in the oncology community seems warranted.
Khokhar
Omar S
OS
Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology Section, Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA. okhokhar78@yahoo.com
Farhadi
Arash
A
McGrail
Lisa
L
Lewis
James H
JH
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001364:Awareness; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000502:physiology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology; D013997:Time Factors; D014775:Virus Activation
D000998:Antiviral Agents