Investigation of hepatocellular cancer frequency in patients followed with the diagnosis of Hepatitis B

Aim: This study aimed to determine the risk of developing Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HSC) in patients followed up with a diagnosis of Hepatitis B, to investigate the characteristics of patients with HCC and to compare them with literature data. Methods And Equipment: Between January 2014 and December 2022, diagnosed with Hepatitis B, who were followed up in the Gastroenterology Department of Harran University Hospital, were scanned for the development of HCC, 1275 patients who met the study evaluation criteria were included in the study, and 60 patients diagnosed with HCC were evaluated in detail. Age, gender, comorbidities, disease duration, HBsAg, HBeAg, Anti- HBe, Delta Antibody, HBV DNA, Anti-HCV, AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, AFP and ultrasonography treatments were evaluated in all patients. In addition, the stages of cancer, the treatments they received and surveillance were evaluated in patients with HCC, and the data were subjected to statistical analysis in the SPSS 24.0 program. Findings: Of the 1275 patients included in the study, 525 (41.2%) were female and 750 (58.8%) were male. The average age was 40.92±14.78 (range 18-89) years. The average disease duration was 79.01±63.05 months. 674 (52.9%) of the patients were Hepatitis B carriers, 338 (26.5%) were HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B, 84 (6.6%) were HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B and 179 (% 14) It has been determined that there is cirrhosis due to HBV. HCC was detected in 60 (4.7%) of these patients. Of the 60 patients with HCC, 11 (18.3%) were female, 49 (81.7%) were male, and the average age was 61.87±11.82 (range 25-87) years. 43.3% of HSK patients Additional diseases were detected, most commonly diabetes mellitus (DM). It was determined that the delta antibody result of 6 (10%) patients and the anti-HCV result of 2 (3.3%) patients were positive. AST levels of cases diagnosed with HCC were 147.45 It was determined that ±154.06, ALT levels were 94.68±180.38, ALP levels were 219.11±234.87, GGT levels were 153.07±132.64 and AFP levels were 11663.00±34992.92. HSK was diagnosed. 54 (90%) of the cases were cirrhotic, in addition, hepatosteatosis was detected in 5 (8.3%) and gallbladder stones were detected in 7 (11.7%). It was observed that 3 patients (5%) had 2 lesions, 4 patients (6.7%) had 3 lesions, and 13 patients (21.7%) had more than 4 lesions, and the average lesion size was 5. It is 63±3.44 cm. 11 (18.3%) of the patients underwent transarthelial chemoembolization (TACE), 2 (3.3%) underwent radiofrequency ablation (RF), 4 (6.7%) underwent sorafenib. It was determined that they received treatment, 10 (16.7%) underwent transplantation and 33 (55%) were followed in their natural course. Conclusion: Chronic HBV is still an important cause of HCC in our region, despite the treatment methods developed in recent years. The frequency of HCC in chronic hepatitis B patients was found to be 4.7%, and approximately ninety percent of these patients developed on a cirrhotic basis. Patients were generally detected at an advanced stage, approximately 20% of them received curative treatment, 30% received palliative treatment, and approximately half were followed in their natural course. Better follow-up of patients with chronic hepatitis B, especially cirrhotic patients, may enable early detection of patients with HCC and better results. Key Words: Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C Virus, Hepatocellular carcinoma