Interaction of benzo[a]pyrene with other risk factors in hepatocellular carcinoma: a case-control study in Xiamen, China

Abstract Purpose Large epidemiologic studies about the relationship between benzo[ a ]pyrene (B[ a ]P) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been limited. B[ a ]P diol epoxide (BPDE) is a highly reactive metabolite of B[ a ]P that binds covalently to form DNA adducts. We evaluated the interaction between B[ a ]P exposure with other risk factors in HCC, in a case-control study of 345 HCC and 961 healthy controls. Methods Concentration of BPDE-DNA adducts in blood was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The interaction between BPDE-DNA adducts and other risk factors on HCC were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Mean concentration of BPDE-DNA adducts in blood of cases was significantly higher than that of the controls. The risk of HCC increased with elevated concentration of BPDE-DNA adducts ( x 2  = 203.57, P trend Conclusions The high level of BPDE-DNA adducts in blood is associated with HCC and that environmental exposure to B[ a ]P may increase the risk of HCC, especially among drinkers and populations with hepatitis B virus infection.