scholarly journals Profile of hepatocellular carcinoma in the Republic of Moldova: first-hand information on the presentation, distribution and etiologies

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-46
Author(s):  
Adela Turcanu ◽  
Ecaterina Pitel ◽  
Vlada-Tatiana Dumbrava ◽  
Eugen Tcaciuc ◽  
Ana Donscaia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Liver Tumors ◽  
Hepatitis Virus ◽  
Primary Liver Cancer ◽  
Virus Surface ◽  
Primary Liver Tumors ◽  
B Virus ◽  
Tertiary Healthcare ◽  
Serum Alpha Fetoprotein ◽  
The Republic

Abstract Introduction. Moldova is the European country with the highest incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in both sexes. There is, however, no data comprehensively describing the presentation and the risk factors of HCC in the country. We decided to analyze cases of HCC recently received in a tertiary healthcare Institution from Chisinau, the Moldovian capital. Methods. A series of 148 primary liver tumors including 139 cases of HCC were retrospectively analyzed for demographic features, serological and biochemical data, and clinical presentation. Results. The mean age of patients was 59 ± 10 years (range: 19-66) with a M:F sex ratio of 1.9. Tumors appeared on full-blown liver cirrhosis in 83% of cases and were composed of multiple nodules at diagnosis in 36% of patients. Serum Alpha-fetoprotein was exceeding 10ng/mL in 76% of cases. Liver tumor and hepatitis were co-discovered in 34% of cases. More than 81% of hepatocellular carcinomas were associated with at least one hepatitis virus. Carriers of anti-hepatitis C virus were predominating (55% of cases) over patients seropositive for hepatitis B virus surface antigen (36%). Half of the latter were also infected with hepatitis Delta virus. In total, dual or triple infections were present in 24% and 7% of cases. Conclusions. The burden of infections with hepatitis viruses is particularly important in Moldova and corresponds to a situation commonly observed in countries of the Southern hemisphere. A pro-active policy of screening for persistent liver infection targeting population at risk of HCC (> 50 years) and coupled with the distribution of antivirals in positive cases should be rapidly implemented in Moldova to reduce incidence or primary liver cancer.

scholarly journals THE RISK OF HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA ON PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH HEPATITIS B AND HEPATITIS D (2012-2015)

2016 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-158
Author(s):  
Irina Dinu ◽  
◽  
Mihai Voiculescu ◽  
Andreea Radasan ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Hepatitis B Virus ◽  
Liver Cancer ◽  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Primary Liver Cancer ◽  
Close Monitoring ◽  
Hepatitis D ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
B Virus

Introduction. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary liver cancer (90%), the 5th neoplasia in terms of incidence and the 3rd mortality cause worldwide (1). This increased mortality is the consequence of diagnosis in an advanced state and of the fact that most HCC develop based on a chronic hepatic pathology. In Romania, around 7% of the population is affected by chronic hepatitis B, the incidence of this disease being increased in urban areas (2). The sooner the hepatitis B virus infection occurs in life, the higher the probability is, for this to become chronic and to lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Hepatitis D only occurs among people who are infected with the Hepatitis B virus because HDV is an incomplete virus that requires the helper function of HBV to replicate. Objective of the study. The main purpose of the surveillance and/or screening is to decrease mortality and morbidity by means of liver cancer for patients diagnosed with hepatitis B and hepatitis D. Matherial and methods. The study was conducted on a number of 102 patients diagnosed with viral hepatitis (HBV, HDV+HBV) admitted at the “Fundeni” Hospital, Bucharest, between 2012-2015. Two batches of patients were taken into account (patients with hepatitis B and hepatitis D). The viral load and chosen treatment were clinically, biochemically and imagistically evaluated. Results. We have noticed a significant increase in patients diagnosed with hepatitis B and D. The existence of the hepatitis D infection in patients diagnosed with hepatitis B significantly increases the occurence potential of liver cancer. The hepatic destruction degree by means of cirrhotic liver occurence respectively hepatic cirrhosisis much higher for patients diagnosed with hepatitis D. Conclusions. The close monitoring of the patients in this research program brings real benefit for the prevention of liver cancer and diagnosing it early, having a much better prognosis on the quality of life.

scholarly journals Dissecting the biological diversity of hepatocellular carcinoma: Opening Pandora's Box

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 179
Author(s):  
Omar Abdel-Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Liver Cancer ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Primary Liver Cancer ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
High Grade ◽  
B Virus ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
To Come

<p>Primary liver cancer is one of the most commonly occur-ring malignancies, albeit one with a deadly consequence as it ranks second in males and sixth in females as a cause of cancer-related death [1, 2]. In this regard, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes almost 90% of confirmed primary liver cancer cases [3]. Despite the advances in clinical classifications of HCC according to patient-related and disease-related criteria (e.g., the Barcelona Clinic liver cancer system) [4], exploring the biological diversity of HCC have lagged behind. The biological diversity of HCC is ex-pected to come from a diverse set of etiological factors (Hepatitis-B virus, Hepatitis-C virus, non-alcoholic stea-tohepatitis, and aflatoxin, among other things), all of which are expected to drive the pathogenesis of HCC via various pathways. In the current issue of AMOR, Youssef and co-workers explored the potential involvement of the cofactor of BRCA1 (COBRA1) in HCC pathogenesis [5]. COBRA1 has been incriminated in the pathogenesis of a number of other solid tumors, notably breast cancer. In the current study, the authors investigated the expression of COBRA1 in several HCC cell lines, ranging from low- to high-grade HCC cell lines. Their results showed that the COBRA1 protein was highly expressed in the low-grade HCC cell line, while significantly down-regulated in high-grade HCC cell lines. This preliminary study indicates that COBRA1 may indeed play a role in HCC pathogenesis and progression, and should be further investigated moving forward.</p><p>Primary liver cancer is one of the most commonly occurring malignancies, albeit one with a deadly consequence as it ranks second in males and sixth in females as a cause of cancer-related death [1,2]. In this regard, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes almost 90% of confirmed primary liver cancer cases [3].</p><p>Despite the advances in clinical classifications of HCC according to patient-related and disease-related criteria (<em>e.g.</em>, the Barcelona Clinic liver cancer system) [4], exploring the biological diversity of HCC have lagged behind. The biological diversity of HCC is expected to come from a diverse set of etiological factors (Hepatitis-B virus, Hepatitis-C virus, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and aflatoxin, among other things), all of which are expected to drive the pathogenesis of HCC via various pathways.</p><p>In the current issue of AMOR, Youssef and co-workers explored the potential involvement of the cofactor of BRCA1 (COBRA1) in HCC pathogenesis [5].  COBRA1 has been incriminated in the pathogenesis of a number of other solid tumors, notably breast cancer. In the current study, the authors investigated the expression of COBRA1 in several HCC cell lines, ranging from low- to high-grade HCC cell lines. Their results showed that the COBRA1 protein was highly expressed in the low-grade HCC cell line, while significantly down-regu- lated in high-grade HCC cell lines. This preliminary study indicates that COBRA1 may indeed play a role in HCC pathogenesis and progression, and should be further investigated moving forward.</p>

Mutations of T-Cell Epitopes in the Hepatitis B Virus Surface Gene in Children With Chronic Infection and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

2008 ◽  
Vol 103 (4) ◽  
pp. 1004-1009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Hsuan Ni ◽  
Mei-Hwei Chang ◽  
Hong-Yuan Hsu ◽  
Yi-Ching Tung ◽  
Huey-Ling Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Hepatitis B Virus ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Chronic Infection ◽  
T Cell Epitopes ◽  
Virus Surface ◽  
B Virus ◽  
Surface Gene

scholarly journals ATXN7 Gene Variants and Expression Predict Post-Operative Clinical Outcomes in Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 2427-2438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuangye Han ◽  
Long Yu ◽  
Xiaoguang Liu ◽  
Tingdong Yu ◽  
Wei Qin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Predictive Biomarkers ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
B Virus ◽  
Serum Alpha Fetoprotein ◽  
High Level

Background/Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal disease with nearly equal morbidity and mortality. Thus, the discovery and application of more useful predictive biomarkers for improving therapeutic effects and prediction of clinical outcomes is of crucial significance. Methods: A total of 475 HBV-related HCC patients were enrolled. Ataxin 7 (ATXN7) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped by Sanger DNA sequencing after PCR amplification. The associations between ATXN7 SNPs and mRNA expression with the prognosis of HBV-related HCC were analyzed. Results: In all, rs3774729 was significantly associated with overall survival (OS) of HBV-related HCC (P = 0.013, HR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.48-0.94). And patients with the AA genotype and a high level of serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) had significantly worse OS when compared to patients with AG/GG genotypes and a low level of AFP (adjusted P = 0.007, adjusted HR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.18-2.82). Furthermore, low expression of ATXN7 was significantly associated with poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) and OS (P = 0.007, HR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.27-4.45 and P = 0.025, HR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.18-2.62). Conclusion: ATXN7 may be a potential predictor of post-operative prognosis of HBV-related HCC.

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