Association of Common Polymorphisms in the Interleukin-1 Beta Gene with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Caucasian Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B.

Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) promotes liver disease progression and hepatocarcinogenesis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the promotor region of the gene can affect the progression towards liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to investigate the association of three common SNPs with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC in Caucasian patients.