The risk of development of liver cirrhosis and HCC is significantly increased in patients with advanced age as well as with basal core-promoter mutant of HBV. In addition, basal core-promoter mutant might contribute to the gender difference of the progression of liver disease in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B in Taiwan.

No abstract

Our study indicates that DCP has a better diagnostic value than AFP in differentiating HCC from nonmalignant chronic liver disease. DCP has not only a stronger correlation with HCC than AFP in tumor size but also more effectiveness than AFP in detecting small size of HCC.

The HFE mutations may not contribute to iron accumulation in the CHC or NAFLD group even when serum iron overload is observed in more than one-third of these patients in Taiwan.

Lamivudine therapy may result in the rapid development of basal core promoter mutation of HBV, but this mutation may revert to wild type gradually after cessation of therapy.