Hepatitis C virus sequences encoding truncated core proteins detected in a hepatocellular carcinoma.

RNA was specifically extracted from tumor and peritumor tissue of a hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma after microdissection. RT-PCR products of the HCV 5'-noncoding (NC), core and nonstructural (NS)-5 gene were examined. Nucleotide sequences of the core region derived from the tumor tissue revealed deletions and mutations resulting in truncated proteins. Peritumor and serum HCV sequences were unaffected.