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Letter
Author's response: Hepatitis B virus seromarkers clearance and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: serious risks of misinterpretation
  1. Jessica Liu1,
  2. Hwai-I Yang1,2,3,
  3. Chien-Jen Chen1,4
  1. 1 The Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
  2. 2 Molecular and Genomic Epidemiology Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
  3. 3 Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
  4. 4 Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
  1. Correspondence to Professor Chien-Jen Chen, The Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan; chencj{at}gate.sinica.edu.tw.

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We would like to respond to Dr Pariente's letter, which addresses our recently reported results regarding the seroclearance of HBV seromarkers and subsequent risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).1 ,2 Unfortunately, his comments are based on serious misunderstandings of our findings.

First, he suggests that there may be underestimation of the protective roles of marker seroclearance, since incidence rates of HCC were measured from baseline, and that the duration of seromarkers’ positivity would be a better indicator of HCC risk. In order to truly measure the effect of HBV DNA and Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance on HCC incidence, we would need a large cohort of individuals followed up since birth for subsequent outcomes. However, this was not feasible in this study. Thus, left truncation that often occurs …

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Footnotes

  • Correction notice The title of this letter has changed since published Online First.

  • Contributors JL drafted this letter, while H-IY and C-JC provided assistance with content and revisions.

  • Competing interests None.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

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