Abstract

Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Haimi*, Dr. Gamal Abdul Hamid, Dr. Ahmed Saleh Ahmed

ABSTRACT

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in the world and considered one of the health problems in Yemen due to the increase of the prevalence of hepatitis. This study aimed to determine specific epidemiological andclinical profile of HCC among Yemeni patients. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted during the period of 2009 to 2013. Personal, clinical and paraclinical data of a total 120 HCC cases attending or referring to National Oncology Centers in Sana'a, Aden, Hadhramout, and Al- Thawra Modern General Hospital- Sana’a were collected thoroughly by using a structured questionnaire. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20) was used for the analysis of data. Results: The mean age of HCC cases was 61.8±12.9 years, aroundtwo thirds (65 %) of the cases were males. More than half of HCC cases (54.2%) were HCV Ab positive, one quarter of them (25.8%) were HBs Ag positive and 1.7% were positive for both viruses.AFP level, a diagnostic level (> 400 ng/ml) was reported in 46.4% of the cases and a level from 20 to 400 ng/ml and < 20 ng/ml were reported in 27.8% and 25.8% of the patients respectively. Tumors in the two lobes, Right lobeand left lobe reported in (58.7%), (23.7%) and (17.6%) of HCC cases respectively, while (59.6%) of the patients hadmultifocal tumors and (58.7%) of them had single tumor. Most of the HCC patients are present at an advanced stage. Conclusion: HCC are prevailing among males and the majority of them were HCV Ab and HBs Ag positive and present at an advanced stage. National program for the prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis as well as to improve early HCC diagnosis and interventions is of very important.