Hepatitis B virus infection is an independent factor influencing the occurrence of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer: a retrospective analysis of 1413 cases.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The relationships between Hepatitis B virus infection, cirrhosis and colorectal cancer liver metastasis have not been investigated simultaneously and it remained unclear that whether the immune changes caused by Hepatitis B virus infection or the structural changes caused by cirrhosis conduce to the lower incidence of liver metastasis.

METHODOLOGY

Data of 1413 colorectal cancer patients were reviewed to investigate the impacts of Hepatitis B virus infection and cirrhosis on the occurrence and prognosis of liver metastasis.

RESULTS

The incidence of liver metastasis in the Hepatitis B virus infection group or in the cirrhotic group was lower than the control groups (9.4% vs 23.9%, P<0.001; 6.3% vs 22.9%, P=0.03, respectively). However, a multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only Hepatitis B virus, the T and N classifications were independent factors for the occurrence of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer. There was no statistically significant difference in 5-years survival rates between hepatitis B virus infection group and the non-infection group, nor between cirrhotic group and non-cirrhosis group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Hepatitis B virus infection was one of the independent factors for the occurrence of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer but not for the survival.