THE PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS-C VIRUS IN PATIENTS WITH ESTABLISHED PRIMARY HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA IN THE WESTERN REGION OF SAUDI-ARABIA

Objective: To study the prevalence and effect of hepatitis B, C and D viruses as well as other aetiological factors on the development of he patocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. De sign: Prospective and retrospective study based on the immunological a nd histological study of patients with HCC and their control. Setting: King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Subject: A total of 223 histologically proven HCC, as well as 106 sex-and age-mat ched patients with non hepatic disease, 2430 healthy blood donors and 944 antenatals. Age, sex, hepatitis markers and histology results were studied. Main outcome measures: The hepatitis markers for HBV and HDV Ab were determined by ELISA diagnostic kits. Sera for anti-HCV was sc reened using third generation ELISA. Results: In all, the prevalence o f HCV antibodies was 39.5%, 6%, 2.9% and 1.9% in HCC, non-hepatic dise ases, blood donors and antenatals. In comparing with hepatitis B virus , HCV was more common. Conclusion: HCV seems to act alone or in conjun ction with HBV in the causation of HCC. HCV antibodies were high in HC C cases.