Reactivation of precore mutant hepatitis B virus in chemotherapy-treated patients

✍ Scribed by Ming-Shen Dai; Jang-Jih Lu; Yeu-Chin Chen; Cherng-Lih Perng; Tsu-Yi Chao

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 71 KB
• Volume: 92
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(20011201)92:11<2927::aid-cncr10109>3.0.co;2-w

✦ Synopsis

BACKGROUND.

A point mutation from G to A at nucleotide (nt) 1896 of the precore region of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA has been shown to be associated with fulminant and severe hepatitis. Further studies have suggested that this point mutation, together with additional mutations in the precore promoter, is probably linked to the reactivation of HBV in patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Taiwan is an area with a high prevalence of HBV where hepatitis B flare-up has become a serious problem of HBV carriers who must rely on chemotherapy to treat their diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine if nt 1896 mutation was also present in Chinese patients in Taiwan who developed severe liver disease after chemotherapy.