Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Apr 1;23(7):3917. doi: 10.3390/ijms23073917.
The Hepatitis B virus is one of the most significant hepatocarcinogens globally. The carcinogenic mechanisms of this virus are complex, and may include interactions with the host's immune system. Certain factors, such as stress on the body, can also potentiate these mechanisms. Stress, although adaptive in an acute form, is deleterious to health when chronic and can both suppress and activate the host's defense system. In hepatocellular carcinoma, this can lead to tumor initiation and progression. Those that are more prone to stress, or exposed to situations that incite stress, may be at higher risk of developing cancer. Racial disparities, for example, are a source of chronic psychosocial stress in America and predispose minorities to poorer outcomes. As it remains perplexing why some individuals with chronic hepatitis B develop feared complications while others do not, it is important to recognize as many risk factors as possible, including those often overlooked such as chronic stress.
乙型肝炎病毒是全球最重要的肝癌致癌因素之一。该病毒的致癌机制复杂，可能包括与宿主免疫系统的相互作用。某些因素，如身体的压力，也可以增强这些机制。压力虽然在急性形式中是适应性的，但在慢性时对健康是有害的，它可以抑制和激活宿主的防御系统。在肝细胞癌中，这可能导致肿瘤的发生和进展。那些更容易受到压力影响或暴露于引发压力的情况下的人，可能有更高的患癌风险。例如，种族差异是美国慢性社会心理压力的一个来源，使少数族裔更容易出现不良后果。由于仍然令人费解的是，为什么有些患有慢性乙型肝炎的人会发展为令人担忧的并发症，而有些则不会，因此，认识到尽可能多的风险因素是很重要的，包括那些经常被忽视的因素，如慢性压力。
