Hepatitis B related childhood hepatocellular carcinoma. Childhood hepatic malignancies

The case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with foci of hepatoblastoma in a 7-year-old boy, the son of a hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier mother, is described. Twelve other malignant liver tumors in children were tumors in children were also reviewed for HBsAg and hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg). Both were negative in all (nine) hepatoblastomas. One of three HCC demonstrated positivity for HBsAg. These cases illustrate the importance of hepatitis B virus infection in early childhood and stress the need for careful screening in pregnant women, irrespective of ethnic backgrounds.