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Chronic infection with hepatitis G virus in relation to hepatocellular carcinoma among non‐Asians in Los Angeles County, California
Author(s) -
Yuan JianMin,
Govindarajan Sugantha,
Ross Ronald K.,
Yu Mimi C.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19990915)86:6<936::aid-cncr7>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , medicine , hepatitis c virus , flaviviridae , virus , hepatitis b virus , virology , hepatitis c , immunology , hepatitis , hepatitis b , population , viremia , environmental health
BACKGROUND The recently identified hepatitis G virus (HGV) is a hepatotropic RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family. The virus causes chronic viremia, and exposure to blood products is a recognized route of transmission in humans. To the authors' knowledge there is scant information regarding the hepatocarcinogenic potential of HGV. The current study examined the association between HGV infection and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS A population‐based, case–control study involving 144 non‐Asian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were ages 18–74 years at diagnosis and 252 community controls of similar age, gender, and race was conducted in Los Angeles, California. Study subjects were assessed for serologic markers of infections with the hepatitis B virus (hepatitis B surface antigen, antibody to the hepatitis B core antigen, and antibody to the hepatitis B surface antigen), hepatitis C virus (HCV) (anti‐HCV and HCV RNA), and HGV (HGV RNA). RESULTS Twelve of the 144 hepatocellular carcinoma patients (8.3%) and 5 of the 252 control subjects (2.0%) were positive for serum HGV RNA. The presence of HGV RNA in the serum was associated with a statistically significant 5.4‐fold risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (95% confidence limit, 1.8, 16.6). The excess risk for hepatocellular carcinoma among HGV‐infected individuals was independent of the effects of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections. CONCLUSIONS Chronic infection with HGV may play a role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. If the observed statistical association is a causal one, then infection with HGV may account for approximately 8% of hepatocellular carcinoma cases occurring in non‐Asians in Los Angeles, California. Cancer 1999;86:936–43. © 1999 American Cancer Society.