Risk Factors and Molecular Genomics of U.S. Patients With Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Cancer

Risk Factors and Molecular Genomics for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in U.S. Patients With Chronic Liver Disease: A Case Control Study

To identify risk factors for the development and diagnosis of hepatocellular CA in patients with chronic hepatitis C and to use the data to ultimately develop an effective screening program.

Inclusion Criteria:

• For both experimental subjects and controls:

  1. Patients between older than 18 years of age of all ethnic backgrounds and genders.
  2. Patients with chronic liver disease

• For Experimental Subjects Only:

  1. Patients with HCC with a hepatic mass larger or equal to 5cm
  2. Patients with HCC with a hepatic mass lesion confirmed by fine needle aspirate (FNA) or by pathology in the cases of surgical resection
  3. Patients with HCC with a hepatic mass lesion with characteristic CT or MRI or angiographic appearance.

• For Controls Only:

Patients with chronic liver disease without evidence of HCC confirmed by either :

1. A normal AFP level

2. a negative imaging study (ultrasound, CT, or MR imaging).

3. Negative liver cancer on explants.

*Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients who declined to participate in the study
2. Patients with a history of HIV infection
3. Patients with concurrent advanced malignancy of non-hepatic origin.
4. Patients with significant use of androgenic steroid.
5. Patients with exposure to vinyl chloride.