Histopathologic Features Of Hepatocellular-Carcinoma In Zaire

The pathology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was studied based on 223 Zairian HCC cases registered from 1966 to 1985. The observations included the following: (1) hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status, (2) histologic types, (3) degree of cellular differentiation, and (4) frequency and types of the accompanying cirrhosis. Serum HBsAg was positive in 56.7% of HCC patients and 5.7% of controls (P less than 0.001). Immunohistochemical localization of HBsAg was positive in 53.3% in normal hepatocytes and in 10% in neoplastic cells. Morphologically, mixed type HCC (48.4%), trabecular (31.4%), and compact variants (13.5%) were predominant. Clear cell and pseudoglandular variants were rare (less than 1%). The majority of tumors (83%) were poorly differentiated HCC (Grades: 2-3, 3, 3-4, and 4). Well-differentiated HCC were extremely rare (0.5%). Fifty percent of HCC arose in a cirrhotic liver, predominantly of the macronodular (67.4%) inactive (55%) type. The micronodular cirrhosis was very uncommon (1.1%). These findings clearly show the excess of poorly differentiated HCC in African patients and suggest a possible link between the morphologic features of HCC in Africa and its extraordinary fast-running course.