Prevalence of hepatitis B and C and sensibility of a selective screening questionnaire in patients receiving chemotherapy for solid tumors.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Reactivation of hepatitis B or C virus can occur in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Recommendations for selective or systematic hepatitis B virus testing prior chemotherapy for solid tumors differ. The primary aim was to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B or C in a low endemic country. The second objective was to assess the relevance of a questionnaire on hepatitis B/C risk factors to consider a selective screening.

METHODS:

Patients were prospectively tested for hepatitis B/C markers. HBs antigen positive patients and isolated anti-HBc positive patients with detectable viral load received antiviral preventive treatment. Patients or physicians completed the questionnaire on infection risk factors.

RESULTS:

Among the 450 patients included, 388 were tested for all serological markers and had gastrointestinal (63.7%), lung (31.2%) and skin (4.6%) cancers. The prevalence of subjects exposed to hepatitis B virus was 8.5% (33/388). One patient tested positive for HBs antigen and received preventive treatment. Prevalence of subjects exposed to hepatitis C was 1.3% (5/388). The questionnaire sensitivity was 45.5%, 100% and 50% for detecting carriers of hepatitis B, C and one or the other, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B was low. Selective screening with the questionnaire was insufficiently sensitive. Systematic screening with serological tests prior to chemotherapy in patients with solid tumors is therefore relevant.

• Authors: Mathilde Brasseur, Alexandra Heurgué-Berlot, Coralie Barbe, Cloé Brami, Jean-Baptiste Rey, Juliette Vella-Boucaud, Fadia Dabouz, Gaëtan Deslée, Florent Grange, Julien Volet, Olivier Bouché
• Journal: BMC cancer (BMC Cancer) Vol. 15 Pg. 999 (Dec 23 2015) ISSN: 1471-2407 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 26694960 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Female
• France (epidemiology)
• Hepatitis B (diagnosis, epidemiology)
• Hepatitis C (diagnosis, epidemiology)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasms (drug therapy, virology)
• Prevalence
• Prospective Studies
• Risk Factors
• Seroepidemiologic Studies
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Young Adult