Authors : Deepak Arora, M K Mahajan, Manjit Kaur, Parvinder Singh
DOI : 10.18231/2394-5478.2018.0035
Volume : 5
Issue : 2
Year : 0
Page No : 168-170
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in persistent liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Significant association has been seen between HCV and cancer .Prevalence of HCV infection in cancer patients range from 1.5% to 32%.
Aim of our study: To evaluate the Sero prevalence of hepatitis C among patients with malignancy reported at ACI, Bathinda.
Materials and Methods:The study was done in Advanced cancer hospital in Bathinda for a period of 1 year & 6 months from 1.5.16 to 31.10.17. All the specimens were screened using immune chromatographic assays. The data was statistically analysed.
Results: Positivity of HCV in cancer patients in our Cancer hospital was 6.6% In our cancer patients HCV was found to be more prevalent in females (6.6%) as compared to males (6.4%). 100% of cases which were reported from rural background. In males the risks for the cancers of the upper digestive tract, mandible, neck, oesophagus, and lung were higher. Tobacco exposure and alcohol use explain increase in risk .Of the 21 cases of females 12 cases of carcinoma breast, 2 Endometrial carcinoma, 1 liver carcinoma ,2 ovarian carcinoma, 1esophagal carcinoma & 2 kidney carcinoma were reported.
Maximum number of cases were in age group of 41-70 with 28 cases in age group of 50-60 years. One patient was reported HCV positive at 94yrs.
Conclusion:Prevalence of HCV is high in cancer. Maximum number of patients are from rural background. These patients are apprehensive to report to hospital and get examined. So, the message is very clear that either medical services in our rural areas need to be strengthened and practitioners sitting in rural population need to be educated or to look to traditional Indian medicines to which these rural population have faith like preventive aspects with the strengthening of AYUSH systems. As maximum number of cases are in females and with carcinoma of breast suggest the urgent need to educate females regarding healthy sexual practices &lifestyle modifications.
Keywords: Flaviviridae, Immune suppression, Malignancy