Infection with hepatitis viruses, FIB-4 index and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in southern Italy: a population-based cohort study.

Background: The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its association with hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, FIB-4 index and liver enzymes was assessed in an area of the province of Naples covered by a population-based cancer registry.

Methods: We conducted a cohort investigation on 4492 individuals previously enrolled in a population-based seroprevalent survey on HCV and HBV infections. The diagnosis of HCC was assessed through a record linkage with the cancer registry.

Epidemiology of viral hepatitis infections in an area of southern Italy with high incidence rates of liver cancer.

Southern Italy shows the highest rates of liver cancer for Europe, mainly related to infection with hepatitis viruses. We thus described incidence rates of liver cancer and investigated prevalence and determinants of HCV and HBV infections in 4496 individuals randomly selected from the general population of the province of Naples. 7.