Occult hepatitis B virus infection in patients with hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis with or without hepatocellular carcinoma

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Abstract

Introduction
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, with incidence ranging between 3 and 9% annually. Globally, it is the fifth leading cause of cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death. In Egypt, HCC prevalence about 4.7% of patients with chronic liver disease. Hospital-based studies from Egypt have reported an overall increase in the relative frequency of HCC cancers in Egypt from ~ 4% in 1993 to 7.3% in 2003.
Patients and methods
This study was carried out in Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology Department at Assiut University Hospital in Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt, in the period between November 2016 and November 2017 on 200 patients, who were divided into two groups: the first group was formed of 100 patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver cirrhosis (LC) and the second group was formed of 100 patients with patients with HCV-related LC and well-established diagnosis of HCC based on their medical profile, hepatitis B core antibody total, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B virus DNA PCR, HCV antibody, liver profile, complete blood count, ultrasound, triphasic computed tomography, and alpha-fetoprotein.
Results
The frequency of seropositive occult HBV infection among the studied patients was 11 (11%) patients in those with LC and 15 (15%) patients in those with HCC, which showed a statistically significant relation with development of HCC in general in comparison between HCC and non-HCC patients, but its role in the development of HCC in HCV-coinfected patients was less related, with a statistically insignificant relation.
Conclusion
Occult HBV infection leads to significant liver disease, and it is an important cause of HCC and may accelerate the underlying liver disease.

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Journal of Current Medical Research and Practice
Volume 4, Issue 3
September 2019
Pages 308-313

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