The Link between an Epidermal Growth Factor Gene Functional Polymorphism and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Cohort of Hepatitis C Egyptian Patients.

Background: Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection is implicated in hepatocarcinogenesis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression is influenced by a number of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. One of the most critical variables in early hepatocarcinogenesis is the dysregulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or the epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling pathway. This study aimed to assess the association between the incidence of HCC and the EGF 61A/G polymorphism in chronic HCV Egyptian cases. Patients and methods: A comparative study was carried out with a total of 165 single ethnic Egyptian. They were classified into 3 groups: Chronic HCV (n = 55), HCC (n = 60), and healthy cases (n = 50). Genotyping was performed for all participants using RT-Multiplex PCR. Results: The frequencies of genotypes were in HCV G/A 32.7%, G/G 60.0%, and A/A 7.3%, and in HCC G/A 51.7%, G/G 30.0%, and A/A 18.3%. The control group was G/A 52.0%, G/G 20.0%, and A/A 28.0%. The alleles frequencies in HCV were G 76.4%, and A 23.6%, in HCC were G 55.8% and A 44.2%. In the control group were G 46.0% and A 54.0%. The difference regarding the genotype and allele frequency among studied groups was highly significant. The G/G genotype (P-value 0.006) were protective against HCC development. However, HCV patients with the A/G genotype (P-value 0.04) might be at a higher risk to develop HCC. Conclusion: The indications for EGF 61A/G gene polymorphism's correlation with susceptible threat for HCC development in HCV patients in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]