Hepatitis' antigen in hepatitis B positive hepatocellular carcinoma

ABSTRACT

The relationship between hepatitis B infection and primary hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] was observed years ago, yet much more investigations are still needed to clarify it. This study was, accordingly, conducted to determine the HBeAg profile among hepatitis B positive hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Other HBV markers were also investigated. Ten patients were included in this work, five of them were also investigated. Ten patients were included in this work, five of them were found to have only HBsAg in their sera. The other five had in addition to the surface antigen, one or more of the other HBV sero-markers. These latter patients seem to have either an acute HBV infection not related to the state of malignancy, an active exacerbation of a chronic HBV infection or a superinfection with a NANB or a delta agent