Hepatitis B virus infection: An insight into the clinical connection and molecular interaction between hepatitis B virus and host extrahepatic cancer risk

Abstract

The evidence for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence is well established. The hepatocyte epithelium carcinogenesis caused by HBV has been investigated and reviewed in depth. Nevertheless, recent findings from preclinical and observational studies suggested that chronic HBV infection is equally important in extrahepatic cancer occurrence and survival, specifically gastrointestinal system-derived cancers. Immune microenvironment changes (immune-suppressive cytokine infiltration), epigenetic modification (N6-methyladenosine), molecular signaling pathways (PI3K–Akt and Wnt), and serum biomarkers such as hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein are potential underlying mechanisms in chronic HBV infection-induced extrahepatic cancers. This narrative review aimed to comprehensively summarize the most recent advances in evaluating the association between chronic HBV infection and extrahepatic cancer risk and explore the potential underlying molecular mechanisms in the carcinogenesis induction of extrahepatic cancers in chronic HBV conditions.

Incidentally found parotid gland lesion in 18F-FDG PET/CT for staging evaluation of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: remote possibility of metastatic tumor or second primary salivary gland malignancy

“…Hepatitis virus infection is a proven risk factor for the development of another extrahepatic primary malignancy [ 23 , 24 ]. This is attributed to the presence of factors such as hepatitis B virus X protein, which can lead to genetic instability and an immunosuppressive condition, thereby increasing the risk of developing malignancies in other organs [ 25 ]. Our study was initiated based on previous literature suggesting that hepatitis virus infection also increases the risk of developing head and neck cancer [ 9 , 10 ].…”

Commentary: Hepatitis B virus infection: an insight into the clinical connection and molecular interaction between hepatitis B virus and host extrahepatic cancer risk

“…Moreover, the authors of the review mentioned the need for targeted screening for established HBV-related cancers in populations of subjects with chronic HBV infection ( 1 ). This approach might be promising, but it does not involve subjects with previous HBV infection who have even greater risks of cancer development.…”

“…In a recently published paper, Min et al. ( 1 ) reviewed available data on the relationship of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and non-liver cancer risk. We agree with the authors that the role of HBV in extrahepatic malignancies is underestimated and would like to address some details that were not directly mentioned in the paper.…”

Natural Killer T Cell Diversity and Immunotherapy

“…The most common liver infections are those carried out by viruses, such as hepatitis A virus (HAV), HBV, HCV, HDV, and HEV [169]. Both HBV and HCV chronic infections are one of the most common causes of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer [170,171]. HBV hepatocyte infection leads to endogenous lipid antigen presentation, which activates NKT cells (Figure 3).…”