Hepatitis B Reactivation Rate Is Higher Undergoing Some Cytotoxic Chemotherapy in Patients with Solid Tumors: A Large Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: The reactivation rate of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in cancer patients and chemotherapy regimens thought to be associated with hepatitis reactivation were investigated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 3,890 cancer patients were included in this study. Mortality rates, chemotherapy regimens, cancer types, number of positive hepatitis serology and reactivation rates were obtained.

RESULTS: Only 354 patients had positive hepatitis serology results (HBsAg+). Twenty-four patients (6.7%) with HBsAg positive serology had reactivation. In patients with hepatitis reactivation, the rates of usage of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, steroid, rituximab, and vincristine were found to be significantly higher than corresponding rates in patients with positive hepatitis serology results but without hepatitis reactivation (p < 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSION: Increased reactivation rates were detected with usage of 5-FU, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, steroid, rituximab, and vincristine.