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Primary hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis B virus infection in korea
Author(s) -
Chung Whan Kook,
Sun Hee Sik,
Park Doo Ho,
Minuk Gerald Y.,
Hoofnagle Jay H.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890110203
Subject(s) - hbsag , hepatocellular carcinoma , medicine , hbeag , serology , hepatitis b virus , virology , hepatitis b , antibody , virus , immunology , antigen
Abstract Serological evidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and serum alphafetoprotein (AFP) were assayed in sera from 112 Korean patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) and from 63 age‐ and sex‐matched controls. Serological evidence of HBV infection was found in 100% of PHC patients and in 97% of controls. The majority of PHC patients (87%) were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). In contrast, only 14% of control individuals were positive for HBsAg, but 82% were positive for antibody to HBsAg (anti‐HBs). Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) was detected in a high percentage (38%) of HBsAg‐positive PHC patients, but in none of the nine HBsAg‐positive control individuals. Serum AFP was detectable in 83% of PHC patients but in only one of 63 controls (1.5%). These results document that HBV infection may be the mjor factor in the development of PHC in this country.