Hepatitis B infections in oncology patients: A survey of clinical practice

Summary The risk of reactivating chronic hepatitis B during chemotherapy is being increasingly recognized. The aims of this study were to evaluate the degree of awareness among hematologists and oncologists in Colombia regarding this potential risk, and to examine screening and prevention practices. Methods: A written questionnaire was used to survey physicians attending the National Congress of Cancer held in Cali in October 2008. Results: 134 physicians who specialize in treatment of oncology patients were surveyed. Over half (58 %) have more than 10 years in clinical practice; 23 % never screened patients for hepatitis B infection prior to initiating chemotherapy, 50 % screened patients for hepatitis B “ sometimes ”, while only 27 % screened all patients before chemotherapy. Only 23 % selected the serological tests specifi cally for hepatitis B for patients needing chemotherapy. Most of these specialists prescribed pegylated interferon as their preferred prophylactic agent. Conclusions: The oncology community needs to become more aware of the risks of hepatitis B reactivation during chemotherapy.