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High prevalence of transfusion‐transmitted virus among patients with non‐B, non‐C hepatocellular carcinoma
Author(s) -
Nakagawa Naoki,
Ikoma Jiro,
Ishihara Tomoaki,
Yasui Noriko,
Fujita Naoki,
Iwasa Motoh,
Kaito Masahiko,
Watanabe Shozo,
Adachi Yukihiko
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(19991015)86:8<1437::aid-cncr8>3.0.co;2-i
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatocellular carcinoma , hbsag , antibody , hepatitis b virus , gastroenterology , hepatitis c virus , hepatitis b , virology , group a , hepatitis , virus , immunology
BACKGROUND Many patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti‐HCV). Recently, transfusion‐transmitted virus (TTV) DNA was identified in the serum of patients with non‐B, non‐C posttransfusion hepatitis. In this study, the prevalence of TTV DNA in the serum of patients with non‐B, non‐C hepatitis‐associated hepatocellular carcinoma was evaluated. METHODS Fifteen patients with hepatocellular carcinoma negative for HBsAg, antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti‐HBc), and anti‐HCV antibodies were enrolled in this study (non‐B, non‐C group). Fifteen patients positive for HBsAg and negative for anti‐HCV antibody (HBV group) and another group of patients negative for HBsAg but positive for anti‐HCV antibody (HCV group) were also enrolled in this study. Data obtained from 27 healthy subjects negative for both HBsAg and anti‐HCV antibody and normal levels of serum alanine aminotransferase represented controls. The healthy control group, the non‐B, non‐C group, and the HCV group were age‐matched. TTV DNA was detected by heminested polymerase chain reaction in which specific primers were used. RESULTS TTV DNA was detected in 10 of 15 patients (67%) in the non‐B, non‐C group. This prevalence rate in the non‐B, non‐C group was significantly higher than that in the HBV group (3 of 15 patients, 20%) and the control group (9 of 27 patients, 33%), but it was not significantly different from that in the HCV group (7 of 15 patients, 47%). The noncancerous hepatic tissue samples of 10 TTV‐DNA positive patients in the non‐B, non‐C group included 2 with chronic hepatitis and 8 with cirrhosis. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that TTV DNA is frequently detected in the serum of patients with non‐B, non‐C hepatocellular carcinoma. This result suggests a potential pathogenetic association between hepatocellular carcinoma and TTV infection. Cancer 1999;86:1437–40. © 1999 American Cancer Society.