TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical Characteristics of Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients in Southwest Nigeria
AU - Nwude, Vivian N.
AU - Lesi, Olufunmilayo A.
AU - Onyekwere, Charles
AU - Charpentier, Emilie
AU - Hübschen, Judith M.
N1 - Funding:
Part of the work was financially supported by the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade and the Luxembourg Institute of Health (“Microbiology for Development” grant).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 by the authors.
PY - 2025/2/8
Y1 - 2025/2/8
N2 - Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in West Africa, but its presentation is poorly understood. In this study, we describe the clinical characteristics of HBV-associated HCC patients in Lagos, Nigeria. Data for all cases were collected at the emergency and gastroenterology units (2017–2019), considering chronic carriers as controls. Clinical data and routine biochemical and radiologic test results were extracted from the files. The serum biomarkers (Osteopontin, AFP-L3, DCP) were investigated. For some cases, the hepatitis B viral load was determined. The mean age of the cases (n = 92) was 41.4 years, compared to 39.9 years for the controls (n = 100). Clinically, 69.5% of cases presented with ascites, 66.3% had nodules occupying >50% of the liver, and 67.4% had moderate hepatic encephalopathy. The mean viral load and the median values of Osteopontin, AFP-L3, and DCP for the cases were significantly higher than for the controls (p < 0.001). The area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity were significantly higher for Osteopontin, compared with DCP and AFP-L3 (p < 0.001). Most HCC patients presented at a late disease stage, when the prognosis is usually poor. Especially Osteopontin seems to have potential for early HCC detection and could possibly complement AFP and abdominal ultrasound scan for risk-group screening.
AB - Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in West Africa, but its presentation is poorly understood. In this study, we describe the clinical characteristics of HBV-associated HCC patients in Lagos, Nigeria. Data for all cases were collected at the emergency and gastroenterology units (2017–2019), considering chronic carriers as controls. Clinical data and routine biochemical and radiologic test results were extracted from the files. The serum biomarkers (Osteopontin, AFP-L3, DCP) were investigated. For some cases, the hepatitis B viral load was determined. The mean age of the cases (n = 92) was 41.4 years, compared to 39.9 years for the controls (n = 100). Clinically, 69.5% of cases presented with ascites, 66.3% had nodules occupying >50% of the liver, and 67.4% had moderate hepatic encephalopathy. The mean viral load and the median values of Osteopontin, AFP-L3, and DCP for the cases were significantly higher than for the controls (p < 0.001). The area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity were significantly higher for Osteopontin, compared with DCP and AFP-L3 (p < 0.001). Most HCC patients presented at a late disease stage, when the prognosis is usually poor. Especially Osteopontin seems to have potential for early HCC detection and could possibly complement AFP and abdominal ultrasound scan for risk-group screening.
KW - hepatitis B virus
KW - hepatocellular carcinoma
KW - Nigeria
KW - Osteopontin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85219199251&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40005544/
U2 - 10.3390/pathogens14020169
DO - 10.3390/pathogens14020169
M3 - Article
C2 - 40005544
AN - SCOPUS:85219199251
SN - 2076-0817
VL - 14
JO - Pathogens
JF - Pathogens
IS - 2
M1 - 169
ER -