RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Epidemiological studies have suggested a strong association between chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It has also been suggested that there is a relationship between HCV genotypes and the development of cirrhosis and HCC. To investigate the possible role of HCV genotypes in the development of HCC, we studied HCV genotypes in 22 HCV-seropositive patients with histologically proven cirrhosis of the liver and HCC. METHODS: Anti-HCV antibodies were detected by second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum HCV-RNA was detected by nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers derived from the highly conserved 5'-untranslated region. The HCV genotype was determined by nested RT-PCR using type-specific primers derived from the core region. RESULTS: Anti-HCV and HCV-RNA were detected in all patients with HCC. HCV genotyping was achieved in all of them. All patients had genotype 1b HCV. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that HCV remains in replication and genotype 1b HCV is the predominant type in our HCV-seropositive patients with HCC.
