Association between HBV Infection and Colorectal Cancer in Iranian Population

Colorectal cancer (CRC) as a major health problem has increased globally. The etiology of CRC is among the critical issues. Smoking, obesity, and infectious diseases are probable risk factors of CRC. Meanwhile, chronic infections, such as chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is under investigation.

The aim of the present study was to determine the rate of HBV genome infection in patients with CRC compared with healthy subjects’ colon tissues.

Archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks of 157 patients who underwent total colonoscopy that were referred to hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran, were enrolled. They were categorized into 66 CRC cases and healthy colon tissues as the control group. After DNA extraction from FFPE specimens a Syber Green Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was carried out. SPSS software version 16 was used for statistical analysis.

Of a total of 157 specimens, the mean age ± std. deviation of 66 patients with CRC was 59.3 ± 14.4, and 57.6% (38/66) of them were males. The mean age ± std. deviation of 91 healthy controls was 57.2 ± 14.6, and 57.1% (52) of them were males. By using real-time PCR we found that there were 6.4% (10/157) HBV positive, of them 9% (6/66) had CRC, and 4.4% (4/91) were healthy controls. Different variables did not have any significant differences.

Although some studies reported the association between HBV infection and CRC outcome, we could not prove it. It suggests the role of other risk factors in colorectal cancer incidence. Further studies with larger sample size and different study populations are recommended.