AIM: to ascertain the incidence and epidemiological factors of hepatocellular carcinoma in the Province of Valencia, Spain. DESIGN: a prospective study was made of hepatocellular carcinoma during the year 2000 collecting all diagnosed cases from four hospitals during that year. RESULTS: a total of 64 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma with a male predominance (42/22) and a mean age of 73.4 years (range of 42-90) were diagnosed. Incidence rate was 8.2 per 100,000, and cirrhosis was known to pre-exist in most cases, half of which were Child-Pugh A. Anti-VHC positive, alone or alcohol or virus B related was detected in 3 of every 4 cases. In the majority of the cases the tumours were located in the right hepatic lobe and the size at first diagnosis was less than 3 cm in 37.3% of the cases. Alpha-fetoprotein levels only exceeded 200 mg/ml in 37.3% of the patients and bore a good size relation to the tumour (R=0.245, p=0.003. No relation vis-à-vis aetiology with age, sex, tumour location or Child-Pugh stage was found. CONCLUSIONS: the incident rate of hepatocellular carcinoma in Valencia province during 2000 was 8.2 per 100,000 individuals. This lesion appeared more frequently in men between the ages of 60-80. Hepatitis C virus was the main etiologic agent found. Key words: Hepatocellular carcinoma. Incidence. Hepatitis C virus. Epidemiology. Child-Pugh grade. Alpha-fetoprotein.
AIM: to ascertain the incidence and epidemiological factors of hepatocellular carcinoma in the Province of Valencia, Spain. DESIGN: a prospective study was made of hepatocellular carcinoma during the year 2000 collecting all diagnosed cases from four hospitals during that year. RESULTS: a total of 64 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma with a male predominance (42/22) and a mean age of 73.4 years (range of 42-90) were diagnosed. Incidence rate was 8.2 per 100,000, and cirrhosis was known to pre-exist in most cases, half of which were Child-Pugh A. Anti-VHC positive, alone or alcohol or virus B related was detected in 3 of every 4 cases. In the majority of the cases the tumours were located in the right hepatic lobe and the size at first diagnosis was less than 3 cm in 37.3% of the cases. Alpha-fetoprotein levels only exceeded 200 mg/ml in 37.3% of the patients and bore a good size relation to the tumour (R=0.245, p=0.003. No relation vis-à-vis aetiology with age, sex, tumour location or Child-Pugh stage was found. CONCLUSIONS: the incident rate of hepatocellular carcinoma in Valencia province during 2000 was 8.2 per 100,000 individuals. This lesion appeared more frequently in men between the ages of 60-80. Hepatitis C virus was the main etiologic agent found. Key words: Hepatocellular carcinoma. Incidence. Hepatitis C virus. Epidemiology. Child-Pugh grade. Alpha-fetoprotein.