Among Patients with Undetectable Hepatitis B Surface Antigen and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, a High Proportion Has Integration of HBV DNA into Hepatocyte DNA and No Cirrhosis

In an analysis of clinical data and liver tissues from 90 HBsAg-negative patients with HCC, we found that almost 70% had OBI, of whom 70% had integration of HBV DNA into liver cell DNA; 90% of these patients did not have cirrhosis. HBV DNA integrated near hepatic oncogenes; these integrations might promote development of liver cancer.