Is chronic hepatitis C virus infection a risk factor for breast cancer?

Table 1 Characteristics of the 294 patients with chronic hepatitis C

	All patients
Median age (yr)	58 (21-84)
HCV Genotype
HCV 1	63%
HCV 2	11%
HCV 3	19%
HCV 4-5	7%
Severity of liver disease1
F0-F2	70%
F3	16%
F4	14%
HCV treatment
Never treated	30%
Past or ongoing treatment	70%

¹The extent of fibrosis has been expressed according to the METAVIR scale as previously described[15]. HCV: Hepatitis C virus.

Table 2 Prevalence of breast tumors

	Patients with HCV infection (n = 294)		Patients with other chronic liver diseases (n = 107)		P value
	n (%)	95% CI	n (%)	95% CI
Breast cancer - all patients	17 (5.8)	3.1-8.4	5 (4.7)	0.67-8.67	NS
Benign breast tumors	75 (25.5)	20.5-30.5	21 (19.6)	12.1-27.1	NS
No breast lesion	202 (68.7)	63.4-74	81 (75.7)	67.6-83.8	NS

HCV: Hepatitis C virus; NS: Not significant.

Table 3 Prevalence of breast tumors according to age

Age of patients (yr)	Patients with chronic HCV infection (n = 294)		Patients with other chronic liver diseases (n = 107)		P value
	n (%)	95% CI	n (%)	95% CI
Breast cancer
20-40	0/28 (0)		0/12 (0)		NS
41-60	5/146 (3.4)	0.5-6.4	1/55 (1.8)	0-5.3	NS
> 60	12/120 (10.0)	4.6-15.4	4/40 (10.0)	0.7-19.3	NS
Benign breast tumors
20-40	3/28 (10.7)	0-22.2	3/12 (25.0)	0.5-49.5	NS
41-60	41/146 (28.1)	20.8-35.3	12/55 (21.8)	10.9-32.7	NS
> 60	31/120 (25.8)	18-33.7	6/40 (15.0)	3.9-26.1	NS
No breast lesion
20-40	25/28 (89.3)	77.8-100	9/12 (75.0)	50.5-99.5	NS
40-60	100/146 (68.5)	60.9-76	42/55 (76.4)	65.1-87.6	NS
> 60	77/120 (64.2)	55.6-72.7	30/40 (75.0)	61.6-88.4	NS

HCV: Hepatitis C virus; NS: Not significant.