الفهرس 
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Abstract
Background and aim of work: A significant proportion of cancer is
attributable to DNA damage caused by chronic infection and inflammation.
Because hepatitis C virus (HCV) cause chronic infection and inflammatory
disease, the aim of the present study was to investigate DNA damage in
patients with HCV infection compared with controls and whether there is an
association between the level of peripheral DNA damage and hepatocellular
carcinoma (HCC). We also aimed to correlate the findings of DNA damage
with the clinical and laboratory parameters and to investigate if the comet
score is a possible marker for HCC detection.
Methods: Sixty nine patients with HCV (14 patients without cirrhosis, 28
patients with cirrhosis, 27 patients with HCC) and 29 healthy subjects were
included in the study. The DNA damage in lymphocytes was determined using
the alkaline comet assay.
Results: Comet scores were significantly higher in HCC and cirrhotic
patients compared to healthy controls and HCV patients without cirrhosis.
Patients who presented with DNA damage had 4.7 fold risk of having HCC
more than those with undamaged DNA. At a cutoff of 215, comet scores had
89% sensitivity for detection of HCC.
Conclusions: Ongoing DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes was
detected in complicated HCV patients. Thus such a test could be used to
detect which patient is at higher risk to develop HCC.
Key words: Comet assay, Hepatitis C virus, Hepatocellular carcinoma.