Hepatitis B virus replication in chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

✍ Scribed by Dr. Anna S. F. Lok; Oliver C. K. Ma

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1990
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 693 KB
• Volume: 12
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0270-9139
• DOI: 10.1002/hep.1840120322

✦ Synopsis

We studied the frequency of hepatitis B virus replication in Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis B e antigen and hepatitis B virus DNA could be detected in the sera of 28% and 47% of 116 HBeAg-positive patients, but not in the sera of 15 HBsAg-negative patients. Replicative forms of hepatitis B virus DNA were detected in the neoplastic and nonneoplastic liver tissues from 34% and 62% of 29 HBsAg-positive patients and 0% and 20% of five HBsAgnegative patients by Southern blot hybridization analysis.

Of the 10 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in whom hepatocellular carcinoma developed during follow-up, hepatitis B e antigen and hepatitis B virus DNA were detected in the sera of seven and eight patients, respectively, at presentation, 13 to 43 mo before the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. In nine patients, hepatitis B virus DNA was persistently or intermittently detected in the serum during follow-up. Five patients remained hepatitis B e antigen-positive and seven were detectable for hepatitis B virus DNA in serum when hepatocellular carcinoma was diagnosed. Four patients had one or more episodes of exacerbations before the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma; in three, the exacerbations were associated with changes in level of hepatitis B virus replication.

Our study demonstrated that despite the long interval between the onset of hepatitis B virus infection and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatitis B virus replication persisted in most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, albeit at a low level. (IIEPATOUIGY 1990; 12:582-588.)

Strong association exists between chronic HBV infection and HCC (1-3). In patients with chronic HBV