Does HBV infection increase risk of endometrial carcinoma?

OBJECTIVE Connections between chronic inflammation and tumor development and progression are now generally accepted. Recent evidence indicates that hepatitis B is associated with several types of cancer, but whether endometrial carcinoma (EC) is included has not been reported. METHODS We analyzed HBV serum marker status in 398 patients with endometrial cancer, comparing them to 788 control women undergoing health examination. RESULTS The total prevalence of HBsAg tested positive in cancer group was significantly higher than the control group (12.8% vs 6.0%, P=0.001), while positive HBsAb was significantly lower (41.2% vs 68.5%, P=0.001). Hepatitis B carriers in endometrial cancer group were also more frequent than in the control group (9.3% vs 5.5%, P=0.013). Interestingly, in the endometrial cancer group, 147 cases were HBV serum marker negative, which was also higher than in the control group (36.9% vs 15.6%, P=0.001). CONCLUSION There may be a correlation between HBV infection and endometrial carcinoma.