title: Relation between antibody to hepatitis B core antigen and survival after curative therapy for non-B non-C hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to examine the relationship between antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) positivity and survival in patients with non-B non-C hepatocellular carcinoma (NBNC-HCC) who underwent curative treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 260 patients with NBNC-HCC who underwent curative therapy were analyzed. They included 124 anti-HBc-positive patients (47.7%) and 136 anti-HBc-negative patients (52.3%). Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 3-year cumulative OS rates were 75.9% in the anti-HBc-positive group and 82.3% in the anti-HBc-negative group (p=0.069). The corresponding RFS rates were 29.8% in the anti-HBc-positive group and 43.0% in the anti-HBc-negative group (p=0.001). Multivariate analyses identified anti-HBc positivity (p=0.006), aspartate aminotransferase ≥ 40 IU/l (p=0.037) and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin ≥ 100 mAU/ml (p=0.046) as significant adverse predictors were linked to RFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-HBc positivity can be a useful predictor for recurrence in patients with NBNC-HCC after curative therapy.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka Red Cross Hospital, 5-30 Fudegasaki-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka 543-0027, Japan. h-nishikawa@osaka-med.jrc.or.jp
authors: Hiroki
authors: H
authors: Nishikawa
authors: Yukio
authors: Y
authors: Osaki
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Arimoto
authors: Ryuichi
authors: R
authors: Kita
authors: Toru
authors: T
authors: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000821:virology; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
keywords: Hepatitis B core antigen antibody; curative therapy; non-B non-C hepatocellular carcinoma; overall survival; recurrence-free survival