Background/aims: This study aims to address the relationship between a positive family history of liver cancer or hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the operative resectability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the Chinese population.
Methodology: Two hundred and sixty-two HCC patients underwent operative or non-operative therapies in our hospital. One hundred and eighteen of the patients were clinically considered as resectable patients. The remaining 144 patients were clinically unresectable. Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS 15.0 for Windows.
Results: A family history of HBV infection is significantly associated with the resectability of HCC (AOR=2.332; 95% CI, 1.051-5.177). There was also has a significant association between the first degree relatives infected with HBV and the resectability of HCC (AOR=2.334; 95% CI, 1.050-5.190), especially a patient's sibling having a history of HBV infection is significantly related to the resectability of HCC (AOR=2.727; 95% CI, 1.092-6.808).
Conclusions: A family history of HBV infection is associated with the resectability of HCC, and in particular, if a patient's sibling has a history of HBV infection, this indicates a reduced opportunity to receive curative liver resection.