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Hepatitis B Virus Infection Is Associated with a Higher Risk of Liver Metastasis in Gastric Cancer
Songting Zhu1, Mengmeng Jiang1, Yanyan Chen1
1Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China.
Background:
Hepatitis B virus infection has been linked to liver cancer and may influence metastasis in other malignancies, but its role in gastric cancer liver metastasis (GCLM) is unclear.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed 776 gastric cancer patients with HBV testing. HBV infection was defined as HBsAg+ (chronic HBV, CHB) or HBsAg- with HBcAb/HBeAb+ (occult HBV, OHB). Among the 776 patients, 300 (38.6%) were classified as HBV+. The association between HBV infection and GCLM was evaluated, and propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to adjust for age and gender. Furthermore, the impact of HBV infection on overall survival (OS) was analyzed.
Results:
GCLM occurred in 19.5% of patients. HBV+ patients had a higher GCLM prevalence than HBV- patients (25.3% vs. 15.8%; p = 0.001), persisting after PSM (25.3% vs. 15.3%; p = 0.002). HBV infection was an independent risk factor for GCLM (OR = 2.563, p < 0.001). Both OHB and CHB groups showed significantly higher GCLM rates than HBV- patients in univariate and multivariate analyses. However, OS did not differ between groups (p = 0.737).
Conclusion:
HBV infection significantly increases the risk of liver metastasis in gastric cancer. Enhanced surveillance for liver metastasis is warranted in these patients.
