title: The effect of anticancer therapy on anti-hepatitis B antibody titres in patients with haematological malignancies and solid tumours.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of immunosuppressive anticancer therapy on titre levels of anti-hepatitis B surface antibodies (anti-HBs) in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negative and anti-HBs positive patients with haematological malignancies or solid tumours.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study reviewed the medical records of patients with haematological malignancies or solid tumours. Pretreatment HBsAg negative and anti-HBs positive patients were included in the analysis. Anti-hepatitis B core antibody status was used to evaluate vaccinated patients and those with resolved HBV infections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The medical records of 237 patients were reviewed retrospectively. The median anti-HBs titre decreased significantly after anticancer therapy compared with the pretreatment median anti-HBs titre in all patients (71 mIU/ml versus 57 mIU/ml). Anti-HBs titre decreased significantly in patients with haematological malignancies (70 mIU/m versus 37 mIU/ml) and in patients administered rituximab-based chemotherapy (67 mIU/ml versus 33 mIU/ml) following chemotherapy, whereas there was no significant change in patients with solid tumours. After chemotherapy, patients with low pretreatment anti-HBs titres (<100 mIU/ml) were more likely to become seronegative (<10 mIU/ml).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High levels of anti-HBs may have a protective effect against the reactivation of HBV especially in patients with haematological malignancies who received immunosuppressive anticancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey bahiddin.yilmaz@omu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Bahiddin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Medical Park Hospital, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Gazi Yasargil Education and Research Hospital, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Teker
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goren
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Beytullah
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kut
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sarikaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Memis H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Atay
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Idris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yucel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents
keywords: Hepatitis B virus reactivation; chemotherapy; haematological malignancy; hepatitis B surface antibody; solid tumour