Prognosis of hepatitis B (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poor due to high rates of HCC recurrence and progression of underlying liver disease. We studied whether serum hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) levels could predict HCC recurrence and outcome in HBV associated. Higher HBcrAg levels at HCC diagnosis were independently associated with reduced overall and recurrence-free survival in patients with early, but not advanced, stage HCC.
Keywords: HBcrAg; hepatitis B; hepatocellular carcinoma; survival.
© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Viral Hepatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.