Hepatitis B & C and Liver Cancer

How identifying two viruses connected chronic infection to liver cancer, and why testing for them changed outcomes.

Two of the world’s leading causes of liver cancer are viruses we can test for, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

What happened

In the 1960s, Dr Baruch Blumberg discovered the hepatitis B virus (HBV), work that earned the 1976 Nobel Prize and led to a vaccine. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) remained a mystery “non-A, non-B” hepatitis until it was identified in 1989; that discovery was recognised with the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (Alter, Houghton and Rice).

Diagram of the progression from hepatitis B and C infection (alongside fatty liver disease and alcohol) through chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis to liver cancer, with vaccination, antivirals and anticancer therapy as interventions. — The path from viral hepatitis to liver cancer: chronic infection with hepatitis B or C, alongside other causes such as fatty liver disease and alcohol, can progress through chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis to liver cancer. Vaccination, antivirals and, later, anticancer therapy each intervene along the way.

Why it mattered

Long-term (chronic) infection with HBV or HCV can quietly damage the liver for years, leading to cirrhosis and, in some people, liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), often with few early symptoms. Finding the virus makes it possible to monitor the liver, start treatment, and reduce spread. Modern antiviral medicines can now control HBV and cure most HCV infections.

Key points

Chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C are among the leading causes of liver cancer worldwide
Both infections can persist for years with few or no symptoms
Molecular testing can detect the virus and, where needed, measure how much is present
Early detection supports monitoring, treatment, and reducing onward transmission

How this connects to our testing

This lab offers molecular testing for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). See the Test List, or contact the lab to discuss sample requirements. Pricing is shared on enquiry.

Sources

Blumberg BS: discovery of the hepatitis B virus; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1976. · Alter HJ, Houghton M, Rice CM: discovery of the hepatitis C virus; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2020. · World Health Organization: hepatitis B and hepatitis C fact sheets and their link to liver cancer.

This page summarises a well-known development in diagnostic medicine for general education. It does not describe a PathMole patient and shows no patient data, and it is not medical advice, for testing or treatment decisions please consult a clinician. Our own de-identified cases will be added to this section over time.

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Related department: Molecular Diagnostics

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