GB VIRUS-C RNA IN JAPANESE PATIENTS WITH HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA ANDCIRRHOSIS

Background/Aims: The involvement of non-B, non-C virus in the incidenc e of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not yet known. We have therefor e examined the occurrence of GBV-C RNA in such patients. Methods: One hundred and eleven patients diagnosed as having HCC and 67 patients wi th cirrhosis without HCC were examined for the prevalence of GBV-C RNA by nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with primer s located at the helicase region. Sera were obtained and kept at -20 d egrees C until analysis. Results: GBV-C RNA was positive in 11/111 (9. 9%) cases with HCC, in 10/74 (13.5%) anti-HCV positive cases, in 1/25 (4%) HBsAg positive cases, and in 0/8 (0%) anti-HCV and HBsAg negative cases. GBV-C RNA was also positive in 7/67 (10.4%) cases with cirrhos is, in only 1/18 (5.6%) anti-HCV and HBsAg negative cases, in 4/33 (12 .1%) anti-HCV positive, and in 2/14 (14.3%) HBsAg positive cases. The clinical background of patients with anti-HCV positive HCC who were al so positive for GBV-C RNA did not differ from the background of those negative for GBV-C RNA. Conclusions: GBV-C is unlikely to be a major e tiologic agent of non-B, non-C chronic liver diseases and HCC in Japan .