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Risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in relation to ABO blood type
Massimo Iavarone1, Cristina Della Corte1, Claudio Pelucchi2
1A.M. & A. Migliavacca Center for Liver Disease, 1st Division of Gastroenterology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Policlinico Hospital, University of Milan, Italy.
Background:
Mortality and incidence rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) parallel the geographical distribution of hepatitis B and C viruses among the general population, however genetic factors modulate individual cancer risk.
Aims:
ABO blood type, as a genetic marker, has previously been associated with the risk of several malignancies; we aimed to evaluate whether an association exists with HCC.
Methods:
This is a retrospective case-control study based on ABO distribution in 194 patients with HCC, compared with 215 decompensated cirrhotics without HCC listed for liver transplantation, and 90,322 healthy blood donors.
Results:
In patients with HCC, prevalence of blood type O was 35%, vs. 44% in cirrhotics (OR: 0.67, 95% CI 0.45-0.99; p=0.046) and 45% in blood donors (OR: 0.65, 95% CI 0.48-0.88; p=0.004).
Conclusions:
ABO blood type non-O is associated with higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, compared to cirrhotics without HCC and healthy subjects.
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