HBV infection and familial aggregation of liver cancer: an analysis of case-control family study

Objectives: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most important risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The specific aim of this study is to assess the influence of HBV infection on familial aggregation of HCC. Methods: We conducted a population-based case - control family study of liver cancer in Taixing, China, in 2001 - 2002, with a total of 3611 individuals from 202 case families and 202 control families. Conditional logistic regression was used for the case - control data. The approach of GEE2 was used to analyze the family data and age and sex were adjusted in all marginal regression models. Results: The odds ratio for HBV associated with HCC was 41.39 (95% confidence interval (CI): 23.03 - 74.30). The relatives of cases had a higher risk of liver cancer compared with the relatives of controls with a conditional odds-ratio of 3.06 ( 95% CI: 1.48 - 6.33). The association parameters among first- and second-degree relatives were no longer statistically significant when HbsAg was taken into consideration. Conclusion: HBV infection was likely a main reason for the familial aggregation of liver cancer in Southern China.