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Hepatitis C virus infection and chronic liver diseases after treatment of malignant disease in children: A multicenter study from the Children's Cancer and Leukemia Study Group of Japan

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Abstract

Background

We studied the prevalence of chronic liver diseases, including hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, as late effects of therapeutic regimens against childhood malignancies in Japan.

Methods

Patients were long-time survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), neuroblastoma, and osteosarcoma, who had been treated and completed the Children's Cancer and Leukemia Study Group (CCLSG) protocols for more than 6 months at CCLSG participating institutions. The study was initially done in 1993, and as a follow-up study using a retrospective questionnaire in 1997.

Results

The overall prevalence of HCV infection in the 1993 study was 8.1% of 443 children. Among those long-term survivors in the 1993 study, 36 (8.1%) children (24 with ALL, 6 with ANLL, 2 with NHL, and 4 others) showed liver dysfunction. The details of the HCV-positive long-term survivors were 26 (13.3%) with ALL, 4 (12.9%) with ANLL, 1 (2%) with NHL, and 5 (3%) with others. The overall prevalence of HCV infection in the 1997 study at the same institutions was 0.6%. Only a slight reduction (5.6%) of HCV antibody positivity was noted in the 1997 follow-up study, while marked reduction (77.2%) of chronic liver disorders was noted during the same follow-up period in 623 children.

Conclusions

The high frequency of HCV hepatitis among ALL children is thought to be related to frequent blood transfusions. The 1997 study is the lowest reported prevalence of HCV hepatitis among children with leukemia and malignant diseases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, 359-0042, Tokorozawa Saitama, Japan

    Isao Sekine, Hiroshi Dobashi & Kazuhiro Kogawa

  2. Aichi Medical College, Aichi, Japan

    Takahisa Hirota, Naoyuki Katano & Takeo Fujimoto

  3. Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan

    Kiyoshi Kawakami

  4. Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Kanazawa, Japan

    Shoichi Koizumi

  5. University of The Ryukyus School of Medicine, Okinawa, Japan

    Nobuyuki Hyakuna

  6. Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan

    Masahiko Nakayama

  7. University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan

    Youichi Takaue

  8. Yamaguchi Red Cross Hospital, Yamaguchi, Japan

    Yasukazu Yamamura

  9. National Okayama Hospital, Okayama, Japan

    Teruhisa Furuyama

  10. Tottori University, Yonago, Japan

    Kenichi Nishikawa

  11. Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan

    Shigeru Ohta

  12. Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan

    Hiromichi Kubota

  13. Shizuoka Children's Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan

    Junichi Mimaya & Yasuo Horikoshi

  14. Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan

    Takayoshi Tsuchiya

  15. Sapporo National Hospital, Sapporo, Japan

    Takeo Takeda & Yoshio Hatae

  16. Asahikawa Medical College, Asahikawa, Japan

    Toshiaki Oka & Hiroshi Azuma

Authors
  1. Isao Sekine
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  2. Hiroshi Dobashi
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  3. Kazuhiro Kogawa
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  4. Takahisa Hirota
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  5. Naoyuki Katano
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  6. Kiyoshi Kawakami
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  7. Shoichi Koizumi
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  8. Nobuyuki Hyakuna
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  9. Masahiko Nakayama
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  10. Youichi Takaue
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  11. Yasukazu Yamamura
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  12. Teruhisa Furuyama
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  13. Kenichi Nishikawa
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  14. Shigeru Ohta
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  15. Hiromichi Kubota
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  16. Junichi Mimaya
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  17. Yasuo Horikoshi
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  18. Takayoshi Tsuchiya
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  19. Takeo Takeda
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  20. Yoshio Hatae
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  21. Toshiaki Oka
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  22. Hiroshi Azuma
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  23. Takeo Fujimoto
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Cite this article

Sekine, I., Dobashi, H., Kogawa, K. et al. Hepatitis C virus infection and chronic liver diseases after treatment of malignant disease in children: A multicenter study from the Children's Cancer and Leukemia Study Group of Japan. Int J Clin Oncol 3, 247–252 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02489841

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02489841

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