IMPACT OF HBV HCV AND GBV-C HGV ON HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMAS IN EUROPE - RESULTS OF A EUROPEAN CONCERTED ACTION/

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, wer e 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 teste d 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 detecte d in 82% and 91% of the HBsAg positive subjects. HBV DNA was also dete cted 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 an ti-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 negat ive 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 H CC in Europe, based on both serology and molecular tests, It demonstra tes the major impact of HBV and HCV, but not of GBV-C/HGV, in liver ca rcinogenesis 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.