Abstract
In a series of 325 HBV chronically infected children observed over an 18-year period, three developed HCC. These three children were born in southern Italy, a region characterized by a high endemic HBV infection rate; each had been infected perinatally, developed an acute hepatitis, and became a chronic carrier. Two of the three with cirrhosis were HBsAg positive at the time their HCC was detected. The remaining case had seroconverted to HBsAb but HBV-DNA integration could be demonstrated in the absence of cirrhosis; moreover HBV antigens were not expressed in the tissue of this case. The interval between HBV infection and HCC appearance in these three cases ranged from six to 11 years. A similarity between these three Italian cases and the majority of HCC, arising in chronically infected children in the Far East is noted.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Beasley RP: Hepatitis B virus as the etiologic agent in hepatocellular carcinoma-epidemiologic considerations. Hepatology 2:21S-26S, 1982
Beasley RP: Hepatitis B virus. The major etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer 6:1942–1945, 1988
Blumberg BS, London WT: Hepatitis B virus: Pathogenesis and prevention of primary cancer of the liver. Cancer 50:2657–2665, 1982
Brechot C, Degos F, Lugassy C, Thiers V, Zafrani S, Franco D, Bismuth H, Trépo C, Benhamou JP, Wands J, Isselbacher K, Tiollais P, Berthelot P: Hepatitis B virus DNA in patients with chronic liver disease and negative tests for hepatitis B surface antigen. N Engl J Med 312:270–276, 1985
Popper H, Shafritz DA, Hoofnagle JH: Relation of the hepatitis B virus carrier state to hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepathology 7(4):764–772, 1987
Shafritz DA, Shouval D, Sherman HI, Hadziyannis SJ, Kew MC: Integration of hepatitis B virus DNA into the genoma of liver cells in chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma: Studies in percutaneous liver biopsies and postmortem tissue specimens. N Engl J Med 305:1067–1073, 1981
Liaw YF Tai DI, Chu CM, Lin DY, Sheen IS, Chen TJ, Pao CC: Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic type B hepatitis. Gastroenterology 90:263–267, 1986
Formentin E, Cocchetto A, Monciotti, Perilongo G, Zancan L: Duc casi di epatocarcinoma giovanile associato a cirrosi. Riv Ital Ped (IJP) 12:448–450, 1986
Giacchino R, Pontisso P, Navone C, Alberti A, Dini G, Facco F, Ciravagna B: Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA-Positive hepatocellular carcinoma following hepatitis B virus infection in a child. J Med Virol 23:151–155, 1987
Potter CR, Robberccht E, Laureys G, Cuvelier CA: Hepatitis B related childhood hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer 60:414–418, 1987
Schimidt D, Harms D, Lang W: Primary malignant hepatic tumours in childhood. Virchows Arch (Pathol Anat) 407:387–405, 1985
Beasly RP, Shiao IS, Wu TC, Hwang LY: Hepatoma in an HBsAg carrier-seven years after perinatal infection. J Pediatr 101(1):83–85, 1982
Chang MC, Hsu HC, Lee CY, Chen DS, Lee CH, Lin KS: Fraternal hepatocellular carcinoma in young children in two families Cancer 53(8):1807–1810, 1984
Chang MH, Hwang LY, Hsu HC, Lee CY, Beasley RP: Prospective study of asymptomatic HBsAg carrier children infected in the perinatal period: Clinical and liver histologic studies. Hepathology 8(2):374–377, 1988
Chen WJ, Lee JC, Hung WT: Primary malignant tumor of liver in infants and children in Taiwan. J Pediatr Surg 23(5):457–461, 1988
Hino O, Kitagawa T, Hirama T, Yokoyama S: Hepatitis B virus DNA integration in hepatoblastoma. Lancet 1:462–463, 1984
Lok ASF, Lai CL: A longitudinal follow-up of asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen-positive chinese children. Hepatology 8(5):1130–1133, 1988
Ohaki Y, Lisugi K, Sasaki Y, Tsunoda A: Hepatitis B surface antigen positive hepatocellular carcinoma in children Cancer 51:822–828, 1983
Shimoda T, Uchida T, Miyata H, Abe K, Ariga H, Shikata T, Fujii Y: A 6-year-old boy having hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis B surface antigenemia. Am J Clin Pathol 74(6):827–831, 1980
Tanaka T, Miyamoto H, Hino O, Kitagwa T, Koire M, Iizuka T, Sakamoto H, Ooshima A: Primary hepatocellular carcinoma with hepatitis B virus-DNA integration in a 4-old boy. Hum Hepathol 17(2):202–204, 1986
Wu TC, Tong MJ, Hwang B, Lee SD, Hu MM: Primary hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis B infection during childhood. Hepatology 7(1):46–48, 1987
Harvey VJ, Woodfield DG, Probert JC: Maternal, transmission of hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer 54:1360–1363, 1984
Lock ASF, Lai CL: Factors determining the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B surface antigen carriers. Cancer 61:1287–1291, 1988
Popper H: Lesson from the pathology of viral hepatitis in animal models.In Viral Hepatitis. F. Callea, M Zorzi, VJ Desnet (eds). Berlin. Springer-Verlag, 1986, p 64
Popper H, Roth L, Purcell RH, Tennant BC, Gerin JL: Hepatocarcinogenicity of the woodchuck hepatitis virus. Med Sci 84:866–870, 1987
Rogler CE, Hino O, Su CY: Molecular aspects of persistent woodchuck hepatitis virus and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology 7(1):74S-78S, 1987
Callea F: Natural history of hepatocellular carcinoma as viewed by the pathologist. Appl Pathol 6:105–116, 1988
Schaffner F: The oncogenicity of azathioprine? Hepatology 8(3):693, 1988
Medline A, Farber E: The multi-step theory of neoplasia. Recent Adv Histopathol 11:19–34, 1981
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Giacchino, R., Navone, C., Facco, F. et al. HBV-DNA-related hepatocellular carcinoma occurring in childhood report of three cases. Digest Dis Sci 36, 1143–1146 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01297462
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01297462