Cigarette Smoking, Hepatitis C Virus Synergistic in Raising Liver Cancer Risk

[Guest guest]

http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=12849

Cigarette Smoking, Hepatitis C Virus Synergistic in Raising Liver Cancer Risk

NEW YORK NOV 19, 2008 (Reuters Health) - There appears to be a synergistic link

between smoking and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, leading to a more than

136-fold increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in men, according to a

team at The University of Texas MD Cancer Center.

Dr. Manal M. Hassan and colleagues in Houston also found a link between HCV,

heavy alcohol consumption and HCC in women.

Dr. Hassan's team conducted a case-control study of 319 HCC patients and 1,061

healthy controls to evaluate the effects of active and passive smoking on risk

factors for HCC in men and women.

The use of smokeless tobacco, cigars and pipes, and passive smoking exposure

were not related to HCC among noncigarette smokers.

However, regular cigarette smoking was associated with HCC in men, with an

adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 1.9. Heavy alcohol consumption was associated with

HCC in women, with an AOR of 7.7.

Co-infection with HCV increased risk of HCC exponentially. " Cigarette smoking

interacted synergistically with chronic infection of hepatitis C virus in men, "

Dr. Hassan's team reports in the October 15 International Journal of Cancer.

They found an AOR of 136.3 for HCC for male smokers with HCV infection.

Women chronically infected with HCV who were heavy drinkers had an AOR of 13.7

for HCC.

" We conclude that sex differences were observed in HCC's relationship with

cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption, " the authors write. " Controlling

smoking exposure might be a prudent approach to the prevention of HCC,

especially in patients with chronic viral hepatitis infections. "

SOURCE:Int J Cancer 2008;123:1883-1891.

[Guest guest]

http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=12849

Cigarette Smoking, Hepatitis C Virus Synergistic in Raising Liver Cancer Risk

NEW YORK NOV 19, 2008 (Reuters Health) - There appears to be a synergistic link

between smoking and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, leading to a more than

136-fold increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in men, according to a

team at The University of Texas MD Cancer Center.

Dr. Manal M. Hassan and colleagues in Houston also found a link between HCV,

heavy alcohol consumption and HCC in women.

Dr. Hassan's team conducted a case-control study of 319 HCC patients and 1,061

healthy controls to evaluate the effects of active and passive smoking on risk

factors for HCC in men and women.

The use of smokeless tobacco, cigars and pipes, and passive smoking exposure

were not related to HCC among noncigarette smokers.

However, regular cigarette smoking was associated with HCC in men, with an

adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 1.9. Heavy alcohol consumption was associated with

HCC in women, with an AOR of 7.7.

Co-infection with HCV increased risk of HCC exponentially. " Cigarette smoking

interacted synergistically with chronic infection of hepatitis C virus in men, "

Dr. Hassan's team reports in the October 15 International Journal of Cancer.

They found an AOR of 136.3 for HCC for male smokers with HCV infection.

Women chronically infected with HCV who were heavy drinkers had an AOR of 13.7

for HCC.

" We conclude that sex differences were observed in HCC's relationship with

cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption, " the authors write. " Controlling

smoking exposure might be a prudent approach to the prevention of HCC,

especially in patients with chronic viral hepatitis infections. "

SOURCE:Int J Cancer 2008;123:1883-1891.