%0 Journal Article %A ALESSIA LEVAGGI %A ANDREA DE MARIA %A BEATRICE DOZIN %A GIUSEPPINA IACONO %A CLAUDIA BIGHIN %A SARA GIRAUDI %A MATTEO LAMBERTINI %A ALESSIA D'ALONZO %A FRANCESCA POGGIO %A PAOLO PRONZATO %A LUCIA DEL MASTRO %T Incidence of Hepatitis in Patients with Evidence of Past or Current Hepatitis B or C During Chemotherapy for Early Breast Cancer %D 2014 %J Anticancer Research %P 3715-3720 %V 34 %N 7 %X Aim/Background: Few data are available about the prevalence of hepatitis B and C infections in early breast cancer patients and its impact on systemic treatments. The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of positive serology for hepatitis B and C in women with early breast cancer and to assess the clinical course and its impact on liver function during adjuvant treatments. Patients and Methods: we retrospectively reviewed hepatitis B and C serology [HBs antigen (HBsAg), HBc antibodies (HBcAb), HBs antibodies (HBsAb) and HC (HCV) antibodies] in 746 consecutive patients with early breast cancer treated at our Institution between 2009 and 2011. Results: Among 375 evaluable patients, we identified 312 controls (83.2%) and 63 patients (16.8%) with positive serology (cases): 15 patients (4%) with HCV, 8 (2.1%) with resolved HBV without anti-HBs (HBsAg-negative, HBsAgAb-negative, HBcAgAb-positive), 36 (9.6%) with resolved HBV with anti-HBs (HBsAg-negative, HBsAgAb-positive, HBcAgAb-positive) and 4 (1%) with chronic HBV (HBsAg-positive, HBsAgAb-negative, HBcAgAb-positive). During systemic treatments, hepatitis (defined as at least a three-fold increase in serum alanine aminotransferase level) occurred in nine (20.4%) out of 44 evaluable cases and in 14 (5.9%) out of 234 evaluable controls. Conclusion: Approximately 20% of patients with early breast cancer with positive serology for viral hepatitis may develop hepatitis during systemic treatment. Pre-treatment serum detection of viral hepatitis B and C antigens and antibodies may be useful in the adjuvant therapy decision-making process and for adequate monitoring of liver function during antineoplastic therapy. %U https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/anticanres/34/7/3715.full.pdf