The relationship of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis to hepatitis B virus infection in the Philippines.

The relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and cirrhosis (CIR) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was investigated. 340 cases with HCC and 99 cases with CIR were compared with the control group which were asymoptomatic age- and sex-matched case. Both HCC and CIR have higher infection rated of HBV and the positivity rated of HBsAg than their controls in both sexes. The positivity rate (74.8%) of HBsAg in HCC is significantly higher than that (58.2%) in CIR. HBeAg is more frequently positive in CIR than in HCC, especially among females. There was no sex difference in HBsAg positive among HCC nor among CIR. Age-adjusted AFP elevation is significantly more frequent in HBsAg-positive HCC than in HBsAg-negative. Both HCC and CIR in the Philippines are closely associated with HBV infection. The association with the infection is stronger with HCC than with CIR. Other causative/contributary factors may be important, especially with CIR. However, the great majority of HCC are probably due to chronic HBV infection, the public health control of which may result in a significant diminution of the malignancy in the country.