Hepatitis B virus status of black women with hepatocellular carcinoma.

The reason why hepatocellular carcinoma occurs less frequently in women than in men is unknown. The possibility that differences in the hepatitis B virus status between men and women with this tumor might be important in this regard was investigated in 75 black women and 75 age- and ethnically-matched men with hepatocellular carcinoma. Prevalences of hepatitis B surface antigen, core antibody alone, and total hepatitis B virus markers were not significantly different in the two sexes. It is concluded that women with hepatocellular carcinoma are just as likely as men to be, or to have been, infected with hepatitis B virus. Because the hepatitis B virus and contraceptive steroids might conceivably act as cocarcinogens, the age distribution of women with hepatocellular carcinoma was determined. Thirty-nine percent were of child-bearing age. Of these, 44% were positive for surface antigen and 17% for core antibody alone. Ninety percent of these women had one or more hepatitis B virus markers.