Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 9, 2026
An Improved Method for Collection of Cerebrospinal Fluid from Anesthetized Mice
Published on: March 19, 2018
Hepatitis C virus infection as a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis. A case-control
R G Simonetti1, C Cammà, F Fiorello
1Istituto di Medicina Generale e Pneumologia, University of Palermo, Italy.
Objective:
To determine whether chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an independent risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma and whether it increases the cirrhosis-related risk for hepatocellular carcinoma.
Design:
Two pair-matched case-control studies.
Setting:
A referral-based hospital.
Patients:
In study I, 212 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (197 of whom had known underlying cirrhosis) were compared with controls who had chronic nonhepatic diseases. In study II, the 197 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis were compared with 197 pair-matched controls who had cirrhosis but not hepatocellular carcinoma.
Measurements:
Levels of antibody to HCV (anti-HCV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) were assayed, and alcohol abuse was assessed by history.
Main Results:
In study I, 151 patients (71%) with hepatocellular carcinoma were anti-HCV positive compared with 11 controls (5%) with chronic nonhepatic diseases (odds ratio, 42; 95% CI, 22 to 95). Multivariate analysis showed that anti-HCV was an independent risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (odds ratio, 69; CI, 15 to 308). The analysis also showed that HBsAg (odds ratio, 8.7; CI, 1.5 to 50) and anti-HBc (odds ratio, 4.2 (CI, 1.7 to 11) were risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma. No statistically significant interaction was found between anti-HCV and the markers of HBV infection. In study II, 146 patients (74%) with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis were anti-HCV positive compared with 122 patients (62%) with cirrhosis alone (odds ratio, 1.8; CI, 1.1 to 2.8). Multivariate analysis confirmed that anti-HCV (odds ratio, 2.0; CI, 1.3 to 32) and HBsAg (odds ratio, 2.0; CI, 1.0 to 4.2) were independent risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma.
Conclusions:
Hepatitis C virus infection is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma, apparently by inducing cirrhosis and, to a lesser extent, by enhancing the risk in patients with cirrhosis. Hepatitis C virus infection acts independently of HBV infection (another risk factor) and of alcohol abuse, age, or gender.
Related Concept Videos
06:40An Improved Method for Collection of Cerebrospinal Fluid from Anesthetized Mice
08:40Absolute Quantification of Aβ1-42 in CSF Using a Mass Spectrometric Reference Measurement Procedure
11:47Treating SCA1 Mice with Water-Soluble Compounds to Non-Specifically Boost Mitochondrial Function
05:51Intracerebroventricular and Intravascular Injection of Viral Particles and Fluorescent Microbeads into the Neonatal Brain
11:56A Rapid and Specific Microplate Assay for the Determination of Intra- and Extracellular Ascorbate in Cultured Cells
14:55Direct Intraventricular Delivery of Drugs to the Rodent Central Nervous System