Hepatocellular carcinoma development in renal allograft recipients

Occult hepatitis B in renal transplant patients

“…Furthermore it was recently suggested that the association of HBV and HCV infections would place these patients at higher risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma, with a lower response to interferon‐α therapy and greater progression to cirrhosis (6, 23). Other reports suggest that in patients with occult HB the virus may be reactivated in its clinical or conventional laboratory form, and this is especially true in immunocompromised hosts (13, 15). It has also been suggested that HBV may have its genes activated by corticosteroid therapy and possibly other immunosuppressive agents (13).…”

“…Published data indicate distinct situations ranging from no influence in the course of liver disease to a carcinogenic role (9, 11, 12). Other suggested effects include a quicker progression to cirrhosis, less effective response to interferon‐α, and higher incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with occult HB co‐infected by HCV (6, 13–15).…”

“…Renal transplant patients are often infected by HBV and/or HCV as a result of their epidemiological exposures, either by dialysis, transfusions, or during the transplantation procedure. In this population, the course of the viral liver disease by isolated B or C viruses is controversial; however, it has been clearly established that co‐infection by HBV and HCV determines an unfavorable prognosis (1, 13, 15, 16).…”

Systematic review of hepatocellular carcinoma mortality rates among hepatitis B virus-infected renal transplant recipients, with supplemental analyses of liver failure and all-cause mortality

“…Two additional studies were found that highlighted the cases of mortality from HCC. 80,81 They were excluded because they did not indicate the number of persons who were HBsAgseropositive and did not develop HCC. Efforts to correspond with the authors were unsuccessful.…”