A subadditive effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection is possible because superinfection of one virus tends to inhibit infection of the other virus. However, studies have reported inconsistent findings, and two metaanalyses of studies from various countries (1998) and China (2005) reported a supraadditive effect for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk. Thus, we reevaluate HBV/HCV monoinfection and coinfection. Of 411 reports, we included 59 studies that assessed the association between HBV/HCV monoinfection and coinfection for HCC risk. HCC risk because of high/ detectable HBV DNA and HBeAg infection was higher than HBsAg infection, whereas anti-HCV vs anti-HCV/HCV RNA was not different. Geographically, HCC risk was significantly higher in nonendemic than in HBV or HCV endemic areas. Subadditive effect for HCC risk was presented in recently published studies, cohort studies and studies conducted in HBV/HCV nonendemic areas; an additive effect was presented in studies conducted in HBV endemic areas; a supraadditive effect was presented in previously published studies, case-control studies and studies conducted in HCV endemic areas. Our results suggest HBV/HCV coinfection for HCC risk is not significantly greater than HBV/HCV monoinfection, and HCC risk due to HBV or HCV is higher in nonendemic than endemic areas. The p-heterogeneity was significant for most analyses, except HBV(1)/ HCV(1) and HBV biomarker analyses. Prevention strategies targeted toward HBV or HCV monoinfected patients are needed. In addition, tailored prevention to reduce infectivity such as HBV markers (HBeAg, HBV DNA) is needed.Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and the third most common cause of mortality from cancer worldwide. 1 Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) monoinfections are well-known major risk factors for HCC, and the relative importance varies worldwide and changes over time. 2 Because of their shared modes of transmission, coinfection of HBV and HCV is not uncommon, particularly in countries with a high prevalence of HBV or HCV. HBV and HCV coinfection results in more severe liver disease 3 and in an increased risk of HCC 4 than monoinfection.Epidemiologic studies on viral interaction have not been consistent. Some reported no interaction 5-10 ; others reported a sub/supraadditive or multiplicative interaction. 11-18 Two meta-analyses, one based on case-control studies from various countries published before 1998 (32 studies with 4,560 cases vs 6,998 controls) 19 and the other based on case-control studies from China published before 2005 (32 studies with 3,201 cases vs 4,005 controls), 20 reported supraadditive effects. However, because superinfection of one virus tends to inhibit infection of the other virus among coinfected cases, 21,22 a subadditive, rather than a supraadditive, effect is reasonable. The reports of a supraadditive effect are likely because of the following: (i) selection bias because of inclusion of only case-control studies; (ii) ...

Background: The role of soybean products in gastric cancer risk is not clear in epidemiologic studies due to measurement error from dietary intake questionnaires and due to different degrees of bias according to study design. To examine the association between soybean products and gastric cancer risk, we measured phytoestrogen biological markers in a nested case-control study.Methods: The study population was composed of 131 cases and 393 matched controls within the Korean Multicenter Cancer Cohort. The concentrations of the four biomarkers in the plasma samples were measured using time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay. Conditional and unconditional logistic regression models were used to compute the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).Results: Median plasma concentrations of genistein (229 nmol/L for controls, 181.8 nmol/L for cases; P = 0.07) and daidzein (131.2 nmol/L for controls, 80.5 nmol/L for cases; P = 0.04) in cases were lower than in controls, whereas equol concentrations were similar. Compared with the reference group, gastric cancer risk decreased in the highest groups for genistein (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.31-0.93) and daidzein (OR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.08-0.58). Higher equol concentrations were associated with a decreased risk for gastric cancer (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.27-0.90). The combination of the highest concentrations for each isoflavone category was associated with a 0.09-fold decreased risk for gastric cancer compared with the combination of the lowest concentrations for each category. There was no association between plasma lignan concentrations and gastric cancer.Conclusions: High serum concentrations of isoflavones were associated with a decreased risk for gastric cancer. Impact: These results suggest a beneficial effect of high soybean product intake for gastric cancer risk.

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