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Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 28, 2008; 14(4): 632-635
Published online Jan 28, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.632
Risk factors for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A case-control study in China
Yan-Ming Zhou, Zheng-Feng Yin, Jia-Mei Yang, Bin Li, Wen-Yu Shao, Feng Xu, Yu-Lan Wang, Dian-Qi Li
Yan-Ming Zhou, Bin Li, Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreato-Vascular Surgery, The First Xiamen Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Xiamen 361003, Fujian Province, China
Zheng-Feng Yin, Jia-Mei Yang, Wen-Yu Shao, Feng Xu, Yu-Lan Wang, Dian-Qi Li, Molecular Oncology Research Laboratory, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China
Correspondence to: Yan-Ming Zhou, MD, Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreato-Vascular Surgery, The First Xiamen Hospital, Fujian Medical University, 55 Zhenhai Road, Xiamen 361003, Fujian Province, China. zhouyms@yahoo.com.cn
Telephone: +86-592-2137306
Fax: +86-592-2137189
Received: August 29, 2007
Revised: September 27, 2007
Published online: January 28, 2008
Abstract

AIM: To carry out a hospital-based case-control study to investigate risk factors for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in China.

METHODS: A total of 312 ICC cases and 438 matched controls were included in the study. The presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hepatolithiasis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, liver fluke infection (Clonorchis sinensis), was investigated through clinical records. Blood from all participants was tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HCV antibodies. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated using conditional logistic regression.

RESULTS: Compared with controls, ICC patients had a higher prevalence of HBsAg seropositivity (48.4% vs 9.6%, P < 0.000), and hepatolithiasis (5.4% vs 1.1%, P = 0.001). By multivariate analysis, the significant risk factors for development of ICC were HBsAg seropositivity (adjusted OR, 8.876, 95% CI, 5.973-13.192), and hepatolithiasis (adjusted OR, 5.765, 95% CI, 1.972-16.851). The prevalence of anti-HCV seropositivity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption were not significantly different between cases and controls.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that HBV infection and hepatolithiasis are strong risk factors for development of ICC in China.

Keywords: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C virus; Risk factors