Relative decrease in the role played by hepatitis B virus infection in the aetiology of hepatocellular carcinoma during a 20-year period: a multicentre Italian study

January 10, 2011

Liver Int. 2011 Feb;31(2):192-196. doi: 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2010.02409.x. Epub

2010 Dec 10.

Relative decrease in the role played by hepatitis B virus infection in the

aetiology of hepatocellular carcinoma during a 20-year period: a multicentre

Italian study.

Giannini EG, Savarino V, Risso D, Di Nolfo MA, Del Poggio P, Benvegnù L,

Farinati F, Zoli M, Borzio F, Caturelli E, Chiaramonte M, Trevisani F; for the

Italian Liver Cancer (ITA.LI.CA.) group.

Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Cattedra di Gastroenterologia,

Gastroenterology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy Dipartimento di Scienze

della Salute, Cattedra di Statistica Medica, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy

Divisione di Medicina, Ospedale Bolognini, Seriate, Italy Divisione di Medicina,

Ospedale Treviglio-Caravaggio, Treviglio, Italy Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica

e Sperimentale, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy Dipartimento di Scienze

Chirurgiche e Gastroenterologiche, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy

Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica, Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna,

Bologna, Italy Dipartimento di Medicina, Unità di Gastroenterologia, Ospedale

Fatebenefratelli, Milano, Italy Unità di Gastroenterologia, Ospedale Belcolle,

Viterbo, Italy Unità di Gastroenterologia, Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria,

Negrar, Italy.

Abstract

Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most

frequent aetiological factors associated with the development of hepatocellular

carcinoma (HCC). Aim: This study evaluated the temporal trend in the

aetiological role played by HBV infection alone in patients diagnosed with HCC

during the last 20 years in Italy.

Methods: Among the 2042 HCC patients included in the Italian Liver Cancer

(ITA.LI.CA.) database, 346 had chronic HBV infection alone. We assessed the

proportion of HCC patients with HBV infection in four quinquennia (1987-1991,

1992-1996, 1997-2001, 2002-2006) and evaluated their main clinical, virological

and oncological characteristics across these periods.

Results: Although the absolute number increased, the proportion of HBV-related

HCC relatively decreased over time from 26.7% (47/176 patients) in 1987-1991 to

14.7% (127/862 patients) in 2002-2006 (P=0.0005). Patients' demographical,

clinical and virological characteristics were similar across the four

quinquennia. A greater proportion of patients was diagnosed with non-advanced

HCC in more recent years (from 26% in 1987-1991 to 48% in 2002-2006, P=0.025),

likely owing to a growing use of semiannual surveillance (from 63% in 1987-1991

to 80% in 2002-2006).

Conclusions: We observed a significant, relative decrease in the role played by

chronic HBV infection alone in the determinism of HCC during the last 20 years.

In recent years, more patients are diagnosed with non-advanced HCC probably

owing to improvements in HCC detection.

PMID: 21143580 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

January 10, 2011