Risk factors of hepatocellular carcinoma in Germany: hepatitis B or liver cirrhosis?

In a retrospective study, 42 out of 44 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma were investigated immunohistochemically for chronic hepatitis B infection. Surface antigen was found in the liver tissue of only 4 of these cases. In 41 of the patients, mildly to moderately active cirrhosis of the liver was found to be underlying the carcinoma. The age distribution and case histories showed that hepatocellular carcinoma often developed from low-complication cirrhosis of long standing and of various etiologies, and must thus be considered a late complication of cirrhosis.