Association between the basal core promoter mutation and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Abstract

It has been suggested that the A to T mutation at nucleotide 1762 and/or the G 10 A mutation at nucleotide 1764 (A1762T/G1764A) in the basal core promoter (BCP) in hepatitis B virus (HBV) might be associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) This study investigated the association between the A 1762T/G1764A mutations of HBV and the development of HCC by adjusting age, sex, and genotypes of HBV. A total of 106 HCC patients were studied. Age, sex, and genotype-matched patients were assigned in a 2:1:1 ratio (HCC: inactive HBsAg carrier: liver cirrhosis) The prevalence of A 1762T/G1764A mutations was higher in LC (94.3%) (P=0.004) and HCC patients (96.2%) (P <0.001) than inactive HBsAg carriers (73.6%). There was no difference in the prevalence of A 1762T/G1764A mutations between LC and HCC patients (P=0.691. In multivariate analysis, patients with cirrhosis (odds ratio rOR1, 6.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-22.3) and HCC (OR. 9.2; 95% CI,2.8-29.5) had a greater likelihood of A 1762T/G 1764A mutations than in inactive HBsAg carriers. There was no increased likelihood of A1762T/G1764A mutations in HCC patients compared with LC patients (OR, 1.7: 95% CI, 0.4-8.4: P=0.5). These data suggest that A 1762T/G1764A mutations themselves might not be associated with the development of HCC, especially in patients with genotype C.