Characteristics and prognosis of primary liver cancer in young patients in China

To investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics of primary liver cancer (PLC) in young adults, 77 patients aged 35 or younger were compared with 603 patients older than 35 years during the same period. In the young patients, PLC showed: (1) a low incidence detected at mass survey (young 15.6% vs older 28.7%,P 5 cm; young 87.0% vs older 73.0%,P<0.01); and (6) a more advanced stage of the disease according to the TNM classification (stage III; young 29.9% vs older 18.2%,P<0.05). It is suggested that hepatitis B virus (HBV) may play an important role in the development of PLC without associated liver cirrhosis in young patients. Close periodic surveillance of young adults who are positive for HBsAg is important to detect PLC at an early stage.