Open AccessHigh Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Antibody in Breast Cancer Patients in Egypt
Author(s) -
Osama Hussein,
Engy Mohamed ElGhitany,
Mawadda Omran,
Ghadier Matariek,
Esraa Ahmed Elbadaly,
Rana F. Hamdy,
Amira Gamal,
Mai Mohamed Zayed,
Ahmed Nasr,
Omar Hamdy,
Mohamed Elbasiony,
Khaled Abdelwahab
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
breast cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1178-2234
DOI - 10.1177/11782234211002499
Subject(s) - medicine , breast cancer , hepatitis c virus , epidemiology , seroprevalence , population , hepatitis c , hepatocellular carcinoma , cancer , retrospective cohort study , immunology , serology , virus , antibody , environmental health
Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a known risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. Several epidemiological studies have pointed out to an association of HCV infection with other extrahepatic malignancies. The role of chronic HCV in breast cancer causation is less clear. Egypt is an endemic area of HCV infection with resulting significant morbidity. The association between HCV status and breast cancer risk in Egyptian women is hitherto unknown.Methods: A retrospective study was performed. The prevalence of anti-HCV seropositivity was estimated in a sample of women with a breast cancer diagnosis, retrieved from the hospital records, and was compared to the raw data of a population study in Egypt. Anti-HCV negative and positive patients were compared regarding the disease course and outcome.Results: Retrospective analysis revealed a markedly high prevalence of anti-HCV seropositivity in young breast cancer patients. In patients younger than 45 years, 13.4% were anti-HCV positive. Seropositivity was 6-fold higher in these patients than in adult females of the same age without cancer diagnosis ( P = .003). The biological type, tumor size, nodal status, and disease-free survival were not affected by the patients’ HCV status.Conclusion: Young Egyptian breast cancer patients have a dramatically high prevalence of HCV seropositivity. Further population studies are strongly required to investigate the epidemiological association of these two significant health problems.