title: Hepatitis C virus and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: Meta-analysis of epidemiology data and therapy options.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global health problem affecting a large fraction of the world's population: This virus is able to determine both hepatic and extrahepatic diseases. Mixed cryoglobulinemia, a B-cell "benign" lymphoproliferative disorders, represents the most closely related as well as the most investigated HCV-related extrahepatic disorder. Since this virus is able to determine extrahepatic [non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)] as well as hepatic malignancies (hepatocellular carcinoma), HCV has been included among human cancer viruses. The most common histological types of HCV-associated NHL are the marginal zone, the lymphoplasmacytic and diffuse large cell lymphomas. The role of the HCV in the pathogenesis of the B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders is confirmed also by the responsiveness of the NHL to antiviral therapy. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the recent literature and a meta analysis of the epidemiology data, to explain the role of HCV in the development of NHL's lymphoma. Furthermore, the possibility to treat these HCV-related NHL with the antiviral therapy or with other therapeutic options, like chemotherapy, is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Gabriele Pozzato, Francesca Zorat, Giulia Moratelli, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pozzato
authors.affiliation: Gabriele Pozzato, Francesca Zorat, Giulia Moratelli, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzaro
authors.affiliation: Gabriele Pozzato, Francesca Zorat, Giulia Moratelli, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigino
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dal Maso
authors.affiliation: Gabriele Pozzato, Francesca Zorat, Giulia Moratelli, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Endri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mauro
authors.affiliation: Gabriele Pozzato, Francesca Zorat, Giulia Moratelli, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zorat
authors.affiliation: Gabriele Pozzato, Francesca Zorat, Giulia Moratelli, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moratelli
authors.affiliation: Gabriele Pozzato, Francesca Zorat, Giulia Moratelli, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bulian
authors.affiliation: Gabriele Pozzato, Francesca Zorat, Giulia Moratelli, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Serraino
authors.affiliation: Gabriele Pozzato, Francesca Zorat, Giulia Moratelli, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Valter
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gattei
keywords: Alpha-interferon; Hepatitis C virus; Hepatitis C virus genotypes; Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma