RESUMO
ABSTRACT Schistosomiasis affects approximately 207 million people in 76 countries. The association between hepatocellular carcinoma and Schistosoma mansoni infection has been investigated. Studies using animal models suggest that the parasite may accelerate the oncogenic process when combined with other factors, such as hepatitis C virus infection or exposure to a carcinogen. Herein, we report a case series of six hepatocellular carcinoma patients from Northeast Brazil, with negative serology for both hepatitis B and C virus, submitted to liver transplantation, whose explant showed evidence of schistosomal liver fibrosis. Since all patients enrolled in this study were submitted to liver transplantation, we were able to access the whole explanted liver and perform histopathological analysis, which is often not possible in other situations. Although 50% of them showed signs of liver failure, no cirrhosis or any liver disease other than schistosomal fibrosis had been detected. These uncommon findings suggest that Schistosoma mansoni infection might predispose to hepatocellular carcinoma development, regardless of the absence of other risk factors.
Assuntos
Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso , Esquistossomose mansoni/cirurgia , Transplante de Fígado , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/cirurgia , Neoplasias Hepáticas/cirurgia , Esquistossomose mansoni/complicações , Esquistossomose mansoni/epidemiologia , Brasil/epidemiologia , Fatores de Risco , Distribuição por Sexo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/parasitologia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patologia , Fígado/parasitologia , Cirrose Hepática/parasitologia , Cirrose Hepática/patologia , Neoplasias Hepáticas/parasitologia , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patologiaRESUMO
Abstract INTRODUCTION: The etiology of several hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases remains largely unknown. Although Fasciola hepatica has been associated with liver fibrosis in Latin America, it has not yet been associated with HCC. This study aimed to determine the existence of specific IgG antibodies against F. hepatica in the serum samples of HCC patients. METHODS In total, 13 serum samples from 13 HCC patients were screened using Fas2-ELISA. RESULTS Fas2-ELISA demonstrated negative results in all HCC patients included in this study. CONCLUSIONS The pre-existence of F. hepatica infection in HCC patients needs to be further investigated in epidemiological and experimental studies.