Chronic hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in the world and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. More than 80% of HCC cases are from the Asian and African continents, and more than 50% of cases are from mainland China. Approximately 350 million to 400 million persons are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), and this virus is the most common cause of HCC worldwide. It is estimated that more than 50% of liver cancers worldwide are attributable to HBV and up to 89% of HBV-related HCC are from developing countries. Recently, increasing trends in HCC incidence have been reported from several Western countries, including France, Australia, and the United States. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.