Serum antibodies to hepatitis C virus in Italian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Antibodies against hepatitis C virus (anti‐HCV) were detected in 60.8% of 78 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cirrhosis, present in most of the patients, as well as alcohol abuse, age, sex, and α‐fetoprotein were equally distributed in the anti‐HCV‐positive and ‐negative groups. HBsAg positivity was significatively higher in negative anti‐HCV group. By contrast, hepatitis B virus (HBV) antibodies were detected more frequently in positive anti‐HCV patients than in the negative anti‐HCV group. These data must be considered with caution becuase of the small number of HBsAg‐positive patients. It is concluded that the high prevalence of anti‐HCV in patients with HCC may suggest an etiological role of the hepatitis C virus, although in relationship to age, alcohol abuse and cirrhosis, the similarity in the two groups questions this hypothesis.