Hepatitis B surface antigen and primary liver cancer

Sera of 184 patients were examined to determine the incidence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Ninety-two patients had primary liver cancer (PLC) and there were 92 matched controls. Thirty-one of the 92 patients with PLC and 8 of the 92 patients with no clinical evidence of liver disease had radio-immunoassay-positive tests for HBsAg. The difference was significant (P less than 0,01). In 56 of the patients with PLC it was possible to assess the nature of associated liver disease histologically. HBsAg was found in the sera of 66,6% of patients with postcollapse cirrhosis and in 22,2% of patients with chronic Budd-Chiari syndrome. It is likely that the role played by hepatitis B infection in the pathogenesis of PLC varies according to local circumstances in different geographical areas.