Idrees M, Rafique S, Rehman IU, Akbar H, Yousaf MZ, Butt S, Awan Z, Manzoor S, Akram M, Aftab M, Khubaib B, Riazuddin S. Hepatitis C virus genotype 3a infection and hepatocellular carcinoma: Pakistan experience. World J Gastroenterol 2009; 15(40): 5080-5085 [PMID: 19860002 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.15.5080]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Dr. Muhammad Idrees, Division of Molecular Virology & Molecular Diagnostics, National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab Lahore, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore-53700, Pakistan. idreeskhan@cemb.edu.pk
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World J Gastroenterol. Oct 28, 2009; 15(40): 5080-5085 Published online Oct 28, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.5080
Hepatitis C virus genotype 3a infection and hepatocellular carcinoma: Pakistan experience
Muhammad Idrees, Shazia Rafique, Irshad-ur Rehman, Haji Akbar, Muhammad Zubair Yousaf, Sadia Butt, Zunaira Awan, Sobia Manzoor, Madiha Akram, Mahwish Aftab, Bushra Khubaib, Sheikh Riazuddin
Muhammad Idrees, Shazia Rafique, Irshad-ur Rehman, Haji Akbar, Muhammad Zubair Yousaf, Sadia Butt, Zunaira Awan, Sobia Manzoor, Madiha Akram, Mahwish Aftab, Bushra Khubaib, Division of Molecular Virology & Molecular Diagnostics, National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab Lahore, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore-53700, Pakistan
Sheikh Riazuddin, National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab Lahore, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore-53700, Pakistan
Author contributions: Idrees M and Riazuddin S designed the study; Idrees M performed all the experimental work under the supervision of Riazuddin S and wrote the manuscript; Riazuddin S also provided vital reagents and analytical tools and was involved in editing the manuscript; Rafique S, Rehman I, Akbar H, Yousaf MZ, Butt S, Awan Z, Manzoor S, Akram M, Aftab M and Khubaib B participated in data analysis.
Supported by Ministry of Science & Technology Government of Pakistan Scientific Project Grant
Correspondence to: Dr. Muhammad Idrees, Division of Molecular Virology & Molecular Diagnostics, National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab Lahore, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore-53700, Pakistan. idreeskhan@cemb.edu.pk
Telephone: +92-42-5293144 Fax: +92-42-5421316
Received: June 1, 2009 Revised: September 10, 2009 Accepted: September 17, 2009 Published online: October 28, 2009
Abstract
AIM: To assess the association between chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Pakistan, and the genotype distribution among these HCC patients.
METHODS: One hundred and sixty-one subjects with HCC were included in this study. Liver biopsy was performed on 145 of the patients; sixteen were excluded because they failed to fulfill the inclusion criteria. Qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for hepatitis B virus and HCV. Samples positive for HCV RNA were genotyped using genotype-specific PCR and confirmed by HCV 5’ noncoding region sequencing analysis.
RESULTS: Chronic HCV infection was identified a major risk factor (63.44% of tested HCC patients) for the development of HCC. The time from HCV infection to appearance of cancer was 10-50 years. In the HCC patient population, broader distributions of genotypes were present with genotype 3a as the predominant genotype. Using the type-specific genotyping method, we found HCV genotype 3a in 40.96%, 3b in 15.66%, 1a in 9.63%, and 1b in 2.40% of HCC tissue samples. About 28% of cases were found with mixed genotypes. Two cases were unable to be genotyped because of low viral load. Sixty-six percent of treated patients with cirrhosis had an end of treatment response, but unfortunately they relapsed quickly when the treatment was discontinued, and HCC developed during a median 3.8 years.
CONCLUSION: There was a strong association between chronic HCV infection and HCC in Pakistan, and between HCV genotype 3a and HCC.
