Hepatitis C virus genotype 3a infection and hepatocellular carcinoma: Pakistan experience

Table 1 Characteristics, biochemistry and etiology of HCC patients (n = 145) n (%)

Risk factor	Value
Age ± SD (yr)	58 ± 11
Male	107 (73.79)
ALT	61 (42.1)
AST	61 (42.1)
Alkaline phosphatase	145 (100)
Bilirubin	145 (100)
AFP elevation	125 (86.2)
Cirrhosis present	98 (67.58)
HBsAg-positive (alone)	18 (12.41)
Anti-HBc-positive (alone)	2 (1.37)
Anti-HBs-positive	10 (6.89)
HBV-DNA PCR-positive (alone)	26 (17.93)
Anti-HCV-positive (alone)	92 (63.44)
HCV-RNA PCR-positive	83 (57.24)
HBV- and HCV-positive	19 (13.10)
No known etiology	6 (4.13)

HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aminotransferase; AFP: α-fetoprotein; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; HBV: Hepatitis B virus.

Table 2 Results of HCV genotype determination in HCC patients (n = 83)¹

HCV genotype	No. of HCC cases	Percentage
1a	8	9.63
1b	2	2.40
3a	34	40.96
3b	13	15.66
3a + 3b	10	12.48
1a + 3a	8	9.63
1a + 3b	6	7.22
NT	2	2.40

¹Eighty-one were positive for tissue/serum RNA by PCR and positive for serum anti-HCV, and two were positive for tissue/serum RNA by PCR but negative for serum anti-HCV. Eleven patients with HCC caused by HCV were not genotyped, as these were anti-HCV-positive by ELISA, but were HCV-RNA-negative, thus they could not be genotyped utilizing the molecular genotyping method. NT: Not typed.