@article{3050712,
    title = "Impact of HBV HCV and GBV-C/HGV on hepatocellular carcinomas in Europe:
results of a European concerted action",
    author = "Brechot, C and Jaffredo, F and Lagorce, D and Gerken, G and zum and Buschenfelde, KM and Papakonstontinou, A and Hadziyannis, S and Romeo, R and and Colombo, M and Rodes, J and Bruix, J and Williams, R and Naoumov, N",
    journal = "WORLD JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY",
    year = "1998",
    volume = "29",
    number = "2",
    pages = "173-183",
    publisher = "ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV",
    doi = "10.1016/S0168-8278(98)80001-9",
    keywords = "HBV; HCC; HCV; HGV",
    abstract = "Background/Aims: To investigate the impact of hepatitis B (HBV) and C
(HCV) infections on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Europe,
Methods: Five hundred and three patients with HCC, from six liver
centers, were included. All 503 sera and 80 liver samples were tested
for HBV DNA and HCV RNA by polymerase chain reaction. GBV-C/HGV RNA was
also tested in 57 sera.
Results: HBsAg and anti-HCV were detected in 19% and 40.1% of the
patients, respectively. Serum and liver HBV DNA were detected in 82%
and 91% of the HBsAg positive subjects. HBV DNA was also detected in
the serum and liver of 33% and 47% of HBsAg negative patients, In this
group, serum HBV DNA was more prevalent in anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc
patients (47.9%), compared to those without any HBV marker (25,1%),
HCV RNA was detected in 89% and 7% of anti-HCV positive and negative
cases, respectively, HCV Ib being the most prevalent genotype (80%),
Coinfection with HBV and HCV was shown in 20.4% of patients, while only
29% had neither HBV nor HCV; GBV-C/HGV RNA was detected in only 4/57
sera,
Conclusions: This study offers the first large analysis of HCC in
Europe, based on both serology and molecular tests, It demonstrates the
major impact of HBV and HCV, but not of GBV-C/HGV, in liver
carcinogenesis in Northern as well as Southern Europe. It also stresses
the need to use viral genome detection in epidemiological studies when
serological tests are negative."
}