Clinicopathological characteristics of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy: Relationship with status of viral hepatitis

Background and Objectives: Viral hepatitis may modulate the status of liver dysfunction, tumor biology, and postoperative course in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: To determine the characteristics of HCC in different types of viral hepatitis, we conducted a comparative analysis of clinicopathological features and outcomes in 243 Japanese HCC patients following hepatic resection. Patients were divided into four groups; non-B-non-C group, hepatitis B (HBV) group, hepatitis C (HCV) group, and co-infection with HB, and HC (HBCV) group. Results: Liver function was worst and prevalence of cirrhosis was highest in HBCV group than in compare to HBV and non-B-non-C group. The prevalence rates of intrahepatic metastasis, tumor vascular involvement, and low curability in HBCV group were higher than in the other groups. Uncontrolled ascites and hepatic failure were significantly more common in HBCV group than other groups. The disease-free and overall survival rates of non-B-non-C group were better than those of the other groups; both survival rates were the worst in HBCV group than the other groups. Conclusions: HCC patients with co-infection of HBV and HCV had poorer liver function and more advanced tumors compared with the other groups. This might explain the poor prognosis of such patients.