Hepatitis C virus genotypes and viremia and hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States

OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a well recognized cause of hepatocell ular carcinoma (HCC). The pathogenic significance of HCV genotypes in hepat ocarcinogenesis is undefined. The aim of this study was to investigate the genotypic distribution and viremic level of HCV in patients with HCV-associ ated cirrhosis with or without HCC. METHODS: A total of 28 HCV-infected patients with HCC (HCC+) and 38 patient s with HCV-associated cirrhosis without HCC (HCC-) were studied. HCV genoty pe was assessed by the genotype-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) me thod of Okamoto and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR). Hepatitis C viremia was quantitated with t he branched-chain DNA (bDNA) assay. RESULTS: Using the Okamoto method, we found genotype Ib in 63% of the HCCgroup and 74% of the HCC- group, 36% of the HCC+ group and 16% of the HCC- group were coinfected with a combination of genotype Ib and another genotyp e. Using the RFLP method, we found genotype Ib in 41% of the HCC+ group and in 24% of the HCC- group. Other genotypes accounted for 18% of the HCC+ gr oup and 55% of the HCC- group; no combination genotypes were identified. Po or concordance occurred between the two genotyping methods. Mean bDNA level s were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that no particular HCV genotypes were a ssociated with HCC and genotype did not appear to influence the development of HCV-associated HCC. (Am J Gastroenterol 1999;94:1619-1626. (C) 1999 by Am. Cell. of Gastroenterology).