Korean J Gastroenterol.  2006 Dec;48(6):408-414.

Hepatitis B and C Virus Infection and Liver Dysfunction in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

• Kwon CI
• Lee JH
• Choi KH
• Ko KH
• Hong SP
• Hwang SG
• Park PW
• Oh D
• Rim KS
• Kim S

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liver dysfunction and reactivation of hepatitis virus are well-described complications in cancer patients who receive cytotoxic chemotherapy and may result in varying degrees of liver damage. However, there has been just few reports on such complications and on the preemptive use of lamivudine in Korea. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infection and the incidence of liver dysfunction in patients with malignancies who receive chemotherapy, to determine the reactivation rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in those patients, to evaluate the effect of preemptive use of lamivudine in patients with HBV infection. METHODS: Among 1,477 patients who received chemotherapy due to various malignancies from January 2000 to June 2005, 668 patients with incomplete viral studies or hepatitis related malignancy were excluded. A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of remaining 809 patients. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rate of hepatitis B or C virus in patients receiving chemotherapy was 6.55% (53/809). The incidences of liver dysfunction was not significantly different between hepatitis virus positive group and negative group. Reactivation rate of hepatiris B or C virus after chemotherapy was 15% (6/40). In all patients who received lamivudine therapy, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase level were normalized and HBV DNA negativity achieved. CONCLUSIONS: The existence of hepatitis virus in patients receiving chemotherapy did not significantly influence the development of severe liver dysfunction, owing probably to the lamivudine therapy. Further prospective studies are required to ascertain the reactivation of hepatitis virus in patients receiving chemotherapy and the need for prophylactic lamivudine therapy in HBV positive patients.

Keyword

Chemotherapy; Hepatitis virus infection; Lamivudine

MeSH Terms

Adult
Antineoplastic Agents/*adverse effects
Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use
Female
Hepatitis B/diagnosis/epidemiology/*prevention & control
Hepatitis C/diagnosis/epidemiology/*prevention & control
Humans
Lamivudine/*therapeutic use
Liver Diseases/chemically induced/*diagnosis/epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasms/complications/drug therapy
Prevalence