Liver iron excess in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma developed on viral C cirrhosis

Background-Liver iron deposits are frequent in viral C cirrhotic patients b ut their role is not well defined. Aims-To investigate the effect of liver iron excess on the prevalence of he patocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with viral C cirrhosis. Methods-Hepatic iron was evaluated retrospectively using a semiquantitative method in liver biopsies of 104 viral C cirrhotic patients, 48 with HCC an d 56 controls (HCC free). Corrected total iron score (0-60) was defined by the sum of three scores: hepatocytic iron score (0-36), sinusoidal iron sco re (0-12), and portal iron score (0-12), multiplied by 3/3, 2/3, or 1/3 acc ording to the heterogeneous iron localisation in the nodules. Results-After adjustment for known risk factors for HCC, regression analysi s showed that iron deposits (corrected total iron score >0) were more frequ ent in HCC patients than in controls (odds ratio 4.94; 95% confidence inter val 1.59-15.32; p=0.0056). The median of corrected total iron score was sig nificantly higher in HCC patients than in controls (odds ratio 1.092; 95% c onfidence interval 1.01-1.13; p=0.021). This liver iron overload was sinuso idal (odds ratio 5.2; 95% confidence interval 1.82-15.11; p=0.0022). Conclusions-Liver iron deposition was more frequent and more important in v iral C cirrhotic patients with HCC than in HCC free controls. Liver iron ov erload seems to contribute to the development of HCC in patients with viral C cirrhosis.