title: Characteristics of liver cancer at Khmer-soviet Friendship Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent cancers in South East Asian countries including Cambodia, where prevalence of chronic carriers of hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV) is reported to be very high. We reviewed HCC cases admitted to a cancer hospital in Phnom Penh, which is the only one hospital for cancer treatment and care in Cambodia during the study period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information was collected from medical records of 281 cases (210 males and 71 females) diagnosed as primary HCC from 2006 to 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The subjects were 7-81 years old with a median age of 53 years. Hypochondriac pain was the most common complained symptom (74%). One third of the cases presented with jaundice. Nearly half had ascites at their first visit. One third had liver cirrhosis. Nearly three fourths of the cases presented with tumor sized more than 50 mm in diameter, and in almost all cases (97.4%) the size was more than 20 mm. Among 209 subjects tested, hepatitis virus carriers were 75.6%; 46.4% for HBV only, 21.5% for HCV only, and 7.7% for both viral infections. Median age of patients with HBV was about ten years younger than those with HCV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed the characteristics of HCC cases in Cambodia, although there were several limitations. Most HCC cases were infected with HBV and/or HCV, and diagnosed at late stages with complications. This implicated that public health intervention to prevent HBV and HCV infection is of high priority.
authors: Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia E-mail : pisethn@yahoo.com.
authors: Piseth
authors: P
authors: Narin
authors: Nobuyuki
authors: N
authors: Hamajima
authors: Samnang
authors: S
authors: Kouy
authors: Tomoya
authors: T
authors: Hirosawa
authors: Sokha
authors: S
authors: Eav
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002160:Cambodia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult