title: Risk of occult hepatitis B virus infection reactivation in patients with solid tumours undergoing chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus reactivation may occur in occult-infected carriers with haematological malignancies, whereas little data are available in patients undergoing chemotherapy for solid tumours.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to investigate occult hepatitis B virus infection and its clinical-virological outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four patients with solid tumours and without liver disease were prospectively enrolled and sampled before starting chemotherapy and between the second and third chemotherapy cycles (time points 1 and 2, respectively); 24 were also sampled 6 months after the end of chemotherapy (time point 3). At each time point, subjects were tested for liver biochemistry, hepatitis B serology and occult infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No sample tested positive for virus surface antigen. Twelve subjects (27.3%) were antibody positive to hepatitis B virus. Overall, occult infection was detected in 4 cases (9%), with positive HBV DNA at time points 1 and 2 (one case), at time point 1 only (one case), only at time points 2 and 3 (two cases), respectively. No occult-infected carrier experienced liver biochemistry flares and/or viral surface antigen positivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occult hepatitis B virus infection may occur in subjects with solid tumours, although the risk of its reactivation under chemotherapy appears to be very low.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saitta
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Musolino
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marabello
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: Maria Silvana
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pollicino
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Altavilla
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raimondo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Chemotherapy; HBV reactivation; Occult HBV infection; Solid cancer