Surgical Results in Patients with Hepatitis B‐related Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Positive Hepatitis B Early Antigen

• Published in: World journal of surgery Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 383 - 388
• Main Authors: Chen, Jen‐Hao, Chau, Gar‐Yang, Lui, Wing‐Yiu, Tsay, Shyh‐Haw, King, Kuang‐Liang, Loong, Che‐Chuan, Hsia, Cheng‐Yuan, Wu, Chew‐Wen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer‐Verlag 01.03.2000; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - surgery; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - virology; Chi-Square Distribution; Chronic active hepatitis; Cirrhosis; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Hepatectomy; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B - complications; hepatitis B e antigen; Hepatitis B surface antigen; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - analysis; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C virus; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Humans; Invasiveness; Liver diseases; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Liver Neoplasms - virology; Liver, biliary tract, pancreas, portal circulation, spleen; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Morbidity; Mortality; Risk Factors; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the digestive system; Survival; Treatment Outcome; Tumors; Human; Postoperative; Hepatitis B antigen; Prognosis; Positivity; Hepatic disease; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Surgical resection; Malignant tumor; Chi square test; Result; Infection; Viral hepatitis B; Treatment; Surgery; Viral disease; Digestive diseases
• ISSN: 0364-2313; 1432-2323
• DOI: 10.1007/s002689910061

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major risk factor in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients who are positive for hepatitis B early antigen (HBeAg) have active liver disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the possible role of HBeAg in patients with resectable HCC. A series of 249 HCC patients with complete preoperative hepatitis marker who had undergone potentially curative resection were enrolled. Patients with hepatitis C virus infection were excluded. Of these patients, 27 were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBeAg (group I), 171 were positive for HBsAg and negative for HBeAg (group II), and 51 were negative for hepatitis B markers (group III). The clinicopathologic features and postoperative survivals were compared among the three groups. The prevalence of HBeAg was 10.8%. Group I patients were significantly younger and had worse liver function, smaller tumors, and a higher incidence of liver cirrhosis and chronic active hepatitis than those in groups II and III. No increase in tumor invasiveness was noted in group I patients. The operative morbidity, mortality, and postresection survival were comparable among the three groups. Our findings indicated that HBeAg positivity is not a negative factor for resection in HCC patients and has no significant influence on postresection survival.