Risk factors and clinical some characteristics of liver cancer

Abstract

Background: Liver cancer incidence and mortality per 100,000 population in Mongolia is the highest in the world. Most of the causes of liver cancer are hepatitis B virus (GBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, but many factors such as older age, male gender, aflatoxin, liver cirrhosis, alcoholism, fatty liver, obesity, smoking, diabetes, autoimmune hepatitis and genetic hemochromatosis are believed to be important in the development of the cancer. We conducted this study to investigate the risk factors and clinical some characteristics that affect the development of liver cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 70 cancer-free healthy controls and 70 patients with histologically confirmed liver cancer who were diagnosed in the Mongolia-Japan Hospital and National Cancer Center of Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia) were enrolled in the study. We investigated liver cancer risk factors and clinical some characteristics of liver cancer by questionnaires and laboratory results. Results: There were 37 (52.8%) men and 33 (47.2%) women, with mean age 63±9.4 years. Most patients with liver cancer were from 50 to 69 years old (n=50, 71.4%) and had tumors larger than 6.1 cm (n=32, 50%). Serum ALT and AST levels were both increased 50 (75.75%) and 35 (53%) cases of patients with liver cancer, respectively. Total protein levels in the blood decreased in 22 (33.3%) patients whereas albumin decreased in 12 (18.2%) cases. Alpha-fetoprotein /AFP/ increased in 50% of the patients whereas alkaline phosphatase increased in 19 (28.8%) cases. Smoking (OR, 4.28; 95% CI=1.21-1.68) and alcohol consumption (OR, 1.23; 95% CI=1.25-1.46) increased the risk of the liver cancer with statistical significance. (p=0.0001; p=0.006). Moreover, coexistence HBV with alcohol consumption, smoking and high body mass index increased significantly liver cancer risk (OR, 1.67; 95% CI=1.16-1.75) (p=0.035). Also HCV co-occurring with these factors increased risk of liver cancer (OR, 1.39; 95% CI=1.18-1.86), (p=0.014). Conclusions: Smoking and regular alcohol consumption increase the risk of liver cancer. The coexistence of HBV and HCV with alcohol consumption, smoking, and high body mass index increase the risk of liver cancer.