[Vaccination against hepatitis B as prevention for hepatocellular carcinoma]

Chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an important risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Even though treatment options for HCC are constantly improving, preventive measures must not be neglected.

The vaccination against hepatitis B has proven effective in preventing infection with HBV. As shown more than 20 years ago in Taiwan, vaccination programs lower not only the prevalence of HBsAg carriers but also decrease the incidence of HCC. By achieving immunity against HBV, the infection with hepatitis D virus can also be prevented. This is important in the light of HCC prevention as HBV/HDV coinfection is known to drastically increase the risk of HCC. New approaches aim for the development of therapeutic HBV vaccines ideally curing chronic infections. Beside the prevention of infections, it is pivotal to detect existing infections. This helps to minimize the HCC risk by initiating treatment in those who need it.