Letter to the Editor: Is HBV genotype strongly associated with HCC risk in patients with chronic hepatitis B?

We read the article by McMahon et al with great interest. The authors found that hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype was strongly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence in the Hepatitis B Alaska cohort and suggested that HBV genotype should be considered in risk factor stratification of HCC. Although inspiring, several issues warrant further clarification.