Epidemiology of HCV infection in the general population: a survey in a southern Italian town.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the general population older than 18 years of age in a southern Italian town.

Methods: The survey was conducted from July 2005 through January 2007 in Putignano, Bari, Apulia. A random 1:5 sampling from the list of records maintained by general practitioners was used.

Manganese superoxide dismutase activity and incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with Child-Pugh class A liver cirrhosis: a 7-year follow-up study.

Aims: To evaluate possible modifications in the manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity during neoplastic transformation of a cirrhotic liver and to find out whether its assessment may have predictive value to identify cirrhotic patients at a higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Seventy-one consecutive subjects with Child-Pugh class A liver cirrhosis were recruited. At the time of enrolment, HCC was diagnosed in 20 cirrhotic patients.

Characteristics at presentation and outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the elderly. A study of the Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP).

Purpose: To describe the characteristics at presentation and the outcome of elderly patients (> or =70 years old) with HCC, a retrospective analysis using a CLIP database was performed.

Patients And Methods: The database included 650 patients. Chi2-test, logistic and Cox model were applied.

Serum retinol and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with child-Pugh class A cirrhosis.

Liver cirrhosis is the main risk factor for the development of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this condition, the liver and plasma suffer a drastic depletion of retinoids. This study was conducted to investigate whether any relation exists between serum retinol levels and HCC development in cirrhotics.