A case report of primary hepatic carcinoma with prolonged HB virus infection and mono-clonal gammopathy.

A case of alpha-feto protein (AFP) positive hepatic cell carcinoma has been presented in which the appearance of a mono-clonal gammopathy can be explained by persistent infection with HB virus (HBV). The patient, a fifty year old male, developed acute jaundice with hepatitis in July, 1952, and died of an hepatic cell carcinoma in December, 1973. The interest of this case lies in the fact that during the seven months prior to be patient's demise, a mono-clonal gammopathy of IgG (L type), together with positive titeres for HBs Ag (adr) and AFP, was demonstrated.