Prevalence and Screening Rates of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Infections in Adult Patients with Solitary Organ Tumors.

Abstract

Background and aims: Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remain significant global public health issues despite advances in their diagnosis and treatment. Our country is in a medium endemic region for HBV. Reactivation can occur during or after immunosuppressive therapy. Therefore, screening patients before treatment is crucial to prevent reactivation. However, pretreatment screening is often insufficiently emphasized in studies. This study aimed to assess the incidence of HBV and pretreatment screening rates in patients with solid organ tumors at our center.

Methods: We included patients aged over 18 years who were treated for solid organ tumors at our center between January 2016 and January 2022. Data on age, sex, histopathological diagnosis, and serological parameters were retrospectively collected. Appropriate HBV screening was defined as the assessment of HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc IgG levels prior to the initiation of immunosuppressive therapy.

Results: In our study, HBsAg testing was requested for 13.3% of the patients, and anti-HCV testing was requested for 13.3%. Among the patients screened for HBV and HCV, the prevalence rates of HBV and HCV infection were 3.3% and 1%, respectively.

Conclusions: Our findings reveal inadequate screening rates for HBV and HCV among patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Increasing awareness about screening and implementing regular educational programs are crucial to protect patients from reactivation.