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Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatitis C and B virus infection, alcohol intake, and hepatolithiasis: a case–control study in Italy

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Abstract

Objective: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a rare type of primary liver cancer (PLC) arising from intrahepatic bile ducts. We carried out a case–control study to assess the association between ICC and hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV) infections, alcohol intake, and hepatolithiasis in Brescia, North Italy. Methods: Among 370 subjects with histology-based diagnosis of PLC who were resident in the area and hospitalized in 1995–2000, 26 (7%) ICC cases were identified. A total of 824 subjects unaffected by hepatic diseases and frequency-matched with PLC cases by age, sex, date, and hospital of admission were recruited as controls. Results: Among ICC cases the mean age was 65 years, 80.8% were males, and 38.5% had cirrhosis. Seropositivity for anti-HCV, HBsAg, alcohol intake > 80 g/day and history of hepatolithiasis were found in 25%, 13%, 23.1%, and 26.9% of ICC cases and in 5.8%, 6.7%, 32.9%, and 10.6% of controls, respectively. The odds ratios adjusted for demographic factors by logistic regression (95% confidence interval; 95% CI) were 9.7 (1.6–58.9) for anti-HCV, 2.7 (0.4–18.4) for HBsAg, and 6.7 (1.3–33.4) for hepatolithiasis, whereas no association was found with alcohol drinking. Conclusions: HCV and hepatolithiasis may be risk factors for ICC in Western countries.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cattedra di Igiene, Università di Brescia, Italy

    Francesco Donato

  2. Istituto di Virologia, Università di Milano, Italy

    Alessandro Tagger

  3. Cattedra di Anatomia Patologica, Università di Brescia, Italy

    Maurizio Favret

  4. Istituto d'Igiene, Università di Milano, Italy

    Maria Lisa Ribero

  5. Servizio di Anatomia Patologica I Spedali Civili di Brescia, Italy

    Francesco Callea

  6. Servizio di Anatomia Patologica Ospedale S. Orsola, Brescia, Italy

    Antonella Savio

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  1. Francesco Donato
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  2. Umberto Gelatti
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  4. Maurizio Favret
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Donato, F., Gelatti, U., Tagger, A. et al. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatitis C and B virus infection, alcohol intake, and hepatolithiasis: a case–control study in Italy. Cancer Causes Control 12, 959–964 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013747228572

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013747228572