ABSTRACT
Objective: To analyze the association between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and pancreatic cancer. Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed to explore the positive rate of serum hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) in patients with pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, diabetes mellitus and general population. Z test was used to compare the rate of HBV infection between the samples and general population. The rates among the samples were compared by Chi-square test. Results: A total of 3,701 registered patients seen in our hospital between January 1st 2003 and March 31st 2009 were collected. There were 230 pancreatic cancer patients with a positive rate of serum HBsAg of 16.1%, 1,188 lung cancer patients with a positive rate of serum HBsAg of 10.7%, and 2,283 patients with diabetes mellitus with a positive rate of serum HBsAg of 11.6%. There was no statistical significance in Z-test results between lung cancer patients and general population (Z=1.104, P=0.163), but the Z-test results between patients with diabetes mellitus and general population showed a statistical significance (Z=2.98, P=0.002). The positive rate of HBsAg was higher in pancreatic cancer patients than that in lung cancer patients (OR=1.60, 95% Cl: 1.077-2.382, r=5.487, P=0.019). Similar results were found between pancreatic cancer patients and diabetic patients (OR=1.46, 95% CI: 1.004-2.123, r=3.965, P=0.046). Conclusion: The positive rate of HBsAg is high in pancreatic cancer patients. There might be an association between HBV infection and pancreatic cancer.