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Occult HBV does not affect HCC resection outcomes

The presence of hepatitis B core antibody, or HBcAb, did not affect the outcomes of hepatic resection in patients with either hepatitis C-related or non-B, non-C hepatocellular carcinoma, according to results of a recent study. However, the data showed a possible link between occult hepatitis B infection and hepatocarcinogenesis in patients with non-B, non-C HCC.

“Because measurement of HBcAb is not included in the regular screening protocol for HBV infection at many institutions, the actual prognostic influence of HBcAb-positivity in HCC patients remains unclear,” Shinji Itoh, MD, PhD, from the Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan, and colleagues wrote. “Given the apparently high proportion of patients with a history of HBV, the clinical features of the HBcAb-positive subgroup of [non-B, non-C] HCC or HCV-related HCC patients need to be explored to allow for better clinical management of HCC.”

To investigate the relationship between HBcAb-positivity and clinical outcomes in patients with HCV-related or non-B, non-C HCC, the researchers followed 263 patients who underwent hepatic resection between January 2000 and December 2015.

Thirty-eight patients were hepatitis B surface antigen-positive and 116 were positive for HCV antibody (HCVAb). Of the 116 patients with HCV, 66 were HBcAb-positive and 50 were HBcAb-negative. The 109 non-B, non-C patients negative for HBsAg and HCVAb included 57 HBcAb-positive and 52 HBcAb-negative patients.

While patients who were HBcAb-positive with non-B, non-C HCC had a significantly higher percentage of multiple tumors (P = .028), there was no significant difference in recurrence-free survival or OS between these patients whether they were positive or negative for HBcAb.

Patients who were HBcAb-positive with HCV-related HCC had a higher percentage of anatomical resections (P = .031) compared with those who were HBcAb-negative, but there were otherwise no significant differences in recurrence-free survival or OS.

“These data suggest that a history of obscure HBV infection is not associated with the long-term outcome following hepatic resection, but might be associated with the initial, rather than second, hepatocarcinogenesis in patients with [non-B, non-C] HCC,” the researchers wrote. “Occult HBV infection in HCV carriers might promote development of HCC in patients with liver cirrhosis; however, our results suggest that occult HBV infection might not have an effect on tumor progression in patients with HCV-related HCC.” – by Talitha Bennett

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.