Risk factors of hepatocellular carcinoma with familial tendency

Family history of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been identified as a risk factor of HCC. The pathogenesis is still uncertain. In order to evaluate the risk factors and to detect the small HCC. 721 asymptomatic family members (419 males and 302 females with a mean age of 40.21 years) of the index cases of HCC received a series of examinations including: serum GOT, GPT, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). HBsAg, Anti-HCV, and abdominal ultrasonography (US). Of the 18 patients with liver tumor detected by US. 6 were proved to be HCC, 8 were hemangioma, and the nature of the rest was undetermined. The US found 22 with cirrhosis, 24 with chronic liver disease, 133 with fatty liver, and 14 with a liver cyst. The incidence of HCC in our study was 0.96% in males (4 of 419 cases), and 0.66% in females (2 of 302 cases) which was much higher than that in the general population of Taiwan (0.025% in males and 0.01% in females). The positive rate of HBsAg in the participants, including all the newly detected HCC patients, was 46.5% (335 cases) which was also higher than the prevalence in Taiwan (15-20%). Male, sibling and liver cirrhosis seemed to have higher risk. These results suggest that family members of patients with HCC have a high risk of developing HCC. The hepatitis B virus may be the most important link. Early diagnosis is possible by screening the family members by means of AFP and abdominal US.