Relationships of hepatitis B virus infection with clinicopathological features in breast cancer and survival outcomes in central China

Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death in female worldwide, accounting for approximately 24.2% of the cancer incidence and 15% of cancer-specific death among women (1). Despite the lower rates of BC incidence compared with developed countries, the BC rate in China has been double the global rate since the 1990s as a result of the rising socioeconomic status and unique reproductive patterns of this country (2). There is evidence for a link between infectious agents, inflammation, and cancer development. The infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites, have been correlated with up to 16% of global cancer incidence (3), with some types of viruses having been researched for their potential connection to BC (4). Original Article