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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection and Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA
Published on: December 15, 2023
Relative decrease in the role played by hepatitis B virus infection in the aetiology of hepatocellular carcinoma
Edoardo G Giannini1, Vincenzo Savarino, Domenico Risso
1Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. egiannini@unige.it
Insights
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Oncology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a primary cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
- Understanding the evolving role of HBV in HCC etiology is crucial for public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the temporal trends of HBV as an etiological factor in Italian HCC patients over 20 years.
- To analyze changes in clinical, virological, and oncological characteristics of HBV-related HCC over time.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 2042 HCC patients from the Italian Liver Cancer (ITA.LI.CA.) database.
- Assessment of HBV-positive HCC cases across four quinquennia (1987-2006).
- Comparison of patient characteristics and HCC stage over the study period.
Main Results:
- The proportion of HBV-related HCC cases significantly decreased from 26.7% to 14.7% between 1987-1991 and 2002-2006.
- No significant changes in demographical, clinical, or virological characteristics of HBV-infected patients were observed.
- A higher proportion of non-advanced HCC was diagnosed in recent years, linked to increased surveillance.
Conclusions:
- The etiological role of chronic HBV infection alone in HCC development has relatively decreased over the past two decades in Italy.
- Improved HCC detection through enhanced surveillance has led to earlier diagnoses of non-advanced HCC.
Background:
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most frequent aetiological factors associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Aim:
This study evaluated the temporal trend in the aetiological role played by HBV infection alone in patients diagnosed with HCC during the last 20 years in Italy.
Methods:
Among the 2042 HCC patients included in the Italian Liver Cancer (ITA.LI.CA.) database, 346 had chronic HBV infection alone. We assessed the proportion of HCC patients with HBV infection in four quinquennia (1987-1991, 1992-1996, 1997-2001, 2002-2006) and evaluated their main clinical, virological and oncological characteristics across these periods.
Results:
Although the absolute number increased, the proportion of HBV-related HCC relatively decreased over time from 26.7% (47/176 patients) in 1987-1991 to 14.7% (127/862 patients) in 2002-2006 (P=0.0005). Patients' demographical, clinical and virological characteristics were similar across the four quinquennia. A greater proportion of patients was diagnosed with non-advanced HCC in more recent years (from 26% in 1987-1991 to 48% in 2002-2006, P=0.025), likely owing to a growing use of semiannual surveillance (from 63% in 1987-1991 to 80% in 2002-2006).
Conclusions:
We observed a significant, relative decrease in the role played by chronic HBV infection alone in the determinism of HCC during the last 20 years. In recent years, more patients are diagnosed with non-advanced HCC probably owing to improvements in HCC detection.
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