Chronic hepatitis B and hematological malignancies

ABSTRACT The active usage of monoclonal antibodies in therapy for hematology malignancies made reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection one of the major health problems. Monoclonal antibodies are also used in solid tumors, rheu-matic, gastroenterological, and skin diseases. Identification of patients with active, inactive, or latent HBV infection with the high risk of reactivation and appropriate antiviral therapy decreases the risk of liver damage and allows the complete course of cancer treatment. Preventive anti-HBV therapy is based on nucleoside analogues that should be chosen in accordance to their efficacy and considering the risk of resistant viral strain selection during long-term treatment.Existing preventive regimens require improvement that warrants further prospective trials for elaboration of optimal recommendations. Thus, prevention of HBV infection reactivation in patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs should include nucleoside analogues according to the HBV infection phase, as well as the therapeutic regimen and duration of treatment.