THE HIGH RISK OF HEPATOMA IN FAMILIES WITH HEPATOMA PATIENT:ANALYSIS OF 170 CASES

Chronic HBV carriers tend to cluster in families.The serum HBV markers,anti-HBcIgM,HBV DNA and HBV DNA polymerase of 170 residents in families withhepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)were studied.The frequencies of positive serum anti-HBc,HBeAg,anti-HBcIgM,HBV DNA and DNA polymerase were 85.3%,21.8%,3.5% 17.6% and 18.9% respectively.These were similar to the results of HCC group(96.5%,22.8%,2.6%,11.4% and 13% respectively).The prevalence,of hepatitis andhepatoma was the highest in the families of maternal relatives with hepatoma.It maysupport that transmission of HBV from carrier mothers to their children in earlyinfancy is the main way causing persistent infection.Our data showed that the longerhistory of HBV infection,the lower frequency of free HBV DNA in serum.Thefrequency of positive serum HBV DNA in cases with history of hepatitis over 5 yrsis much lower than that of less than 5 yrs.It suggests that HBV DNA may integratin the host cell genome during the persistent HBV infection.These results show thatepeople in families with HCC patients would have higher risk of developing HCC.