[Clonal origin of intrahepatic recurrence after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma]

Using integrated hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the cancer cells as a genetic marker, clonal origin of intrahepatic recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma was studied by Southern blot technique. Comparing 5 cases of postoperative recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma with their primary tumors, it was found that 1 case had identical HBV DNA integration patterns, 3 cases were of different clonality and 1 case with multiple nodular recurrences contained either a unicentric origin or a new distinctive clone origin. The results suggest that, in addition to recurrence from residual cancer cells, in some cases, hepatocellular carcinoma may develop repeatedly during a continuous process of carcinogen action, even after a radical resection.