Hepatitis B virus profile of hepatocellular carcinoma in the philippines

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) profile was investigated in 104 age‐grouped hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and 84 controls from the Philippines. The HCC‐control percent positivities of the HBV parameters are: HBsAg: 70–18; anti‐HBs: 25–37; anti‐HBc: 94–35; HBeAg: 5–2; anti‐HBe: 60–30; HBV exposure rate: 97–57; current infection: 80–31. Male HCC anti‐HBs positivity is significantly lower than in controls. Female HCC patients' anti‐HBs are also lower than controls, but this difference is not statistically significant. Simultaneous presence of HBsAg and anti‐HBs was found only in male HCC patients. The mean anti‐HBc titer of anti‐HBs‐positive HCC is higher than that of controls. That of HCC patients negative for both HBsAg and anti‐HBs is also higher than the corresponding controls. Anti‐HBe positivities of infected and noninfected but previously exposed HCC patients are not significantly different, in contrast to noninfected previously exposed controls whose anti‐HBe is lower than those with current infection. The exposure rate prevalence of current infection, and the antibody responses to HBV of HCC patients suggest a close relationship between the two conditions in the Philippines.