Localization of hepatitis B surface antigen in neoplastic cells of primary hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

In 2 cases of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was localized in the cytoplasm of neoplastic cells and some of the nuclei had nuclear inclusions. In both cases, the non-neoplastic liver tissue showed post-hepatitic cirrhosis and HBsAg was present in the non-neoplastic hepatocytes. There is no previous report localizing HBsAg within neoplastic cells of PHC. These 2 cases of PHC were from a series of 23 in which both neoplastic and non-neoplastic tissues were studied with histochemical (Shikata's orcein stain) and immunological methods. HBsAg was localized in the cytoplasm of non-neoplastic hepatocytes in 19 cases (83%). Post-hepatitic cirrhosis was present in 20 cases (87%) and the 3 remaining cases showed evidence of chronic persistent hepatitis. There is a high proportion of HBsAg positivity and post-hepatitic cirrhosis in these cases of PHC. These findings support the view that post-hepatitic cirrhosis is a premalignant condition and hepatitis B virus may play an important role in the aetiology of PHC. In 2 cases of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was localized in the cytoplasm of neoplastic cells and some of the nuclei had nuclear inclusions. In both cases, the non-neoplastic liver tissue showed post-hepatitic cirrhosis and HBsAg was present in the non-neoplastic hepatocytes. There is no previous report localizing HBsAg within neoplastic cells of PHC. These 2 cases of PHC were from a series of 23 in which both neoplastic and non-neoplastic tissues were studied with histochemical (Shikata's orcein stain) and immunological methods. HBsAg was localized in the cytoplasm of non-neoplastic hepatocytes in 19 cases (83%). Post-hepatitic cirrhosis was present in 20 cases (87%) and the 3 remaining cases showed evidence of chronic persistent hepatitis. There is a high proportion of HBsAg positivity and post-hepatitic cirrhosis in these cases of PHC. These findings support the view that post-hepatitic cirrhosis is a premalignant condition and hepatitis B virus may play an important role in the aetiology of PHC.