Association of hepatitis B virus with chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma.

The idea of hepatitis-cirrhosis-hepatocellular carcinoma sequence in liver was proposed by the workers in tropical Africa, the homeland of hepatocellular carcinoma. The discovery of Australia antigen by Blumberg et al provided the missing link and it was observed by several workers as well as the present group that Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBSAg) and that to Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is someway related with the incidence of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).