Hepatitis-Associated Antigen and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Taiwan

Serums from 55 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma were examined for the presence of hepatitis-associated antigen (HAA). Forty-four (80%) had the antigen in their serums; alpha fetoglobulins were detected in 32 of 55 serums analyzed (58%). One hundred and thirty-eight of 943 (14.6%) healthy Chinese control subjects with normal serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activity had HAA in their serums. There was no apparent correlation between the presence of alpha fetoglobulins and HAA positivity in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.