Spectrum of hepatitis B and hepatitis C-related cancers in India

Hepatitis-B virus infection contributes to 40%-50% of the Hepato-cellular carcinomas (HCC) in India, while hepatitis-C virus infection accounts for 12%-32% of cases. This study aimed at determining the patterns of cancers among patients with hepatitis B and C.

This was a retrospective study of cancer patients with histologically proven diagnoses of cancer registered at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai between 2017 and 2018. The proportional incidence ratio (PIR) was computed by dividing the observed number of site-specific cancer cases by the expected number.

The study participants' mean (SD) age was 48.69 (±16.91) years with a male-to-female ratio of 1.36. The prevalence of hepatitis B and C was 1.93% and 1.17%, respectively. Liver cancer showed the highest occurrence rate with notably increased PIR among individuals positive for hepatitis B (males: 14.41, females: 10.89) and hepatitis C (males: 7.15, females: 10.42). Furthermore, hepatitis B-positive patients showed elevated PIR for haemato-lymphoid malignancies such as multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The correlation between HBsAg and specific cancer types (PIRs) is limited by small case numbers, requiring careful interpretation of these findings.

The PIR for liver cancer was heightened in both hepatitis B and C patients. Strengthened surveillance, including pre-screening for hepatitis B and C positive infection among cancer patients, as well as screening for HCCs among hepatitis seropositive individuals, is crucial to mitigate the incidence of HCC.