Author(s)

Pérès Mardochée Motoula Latou^1,2*, Evodie Syntyche Motoula Latou³, Alexis Fortuné Bolenga Liboko^2,3, Eliane Ndounga^2,3, Judith Nsonde Malanda^2,3, Blaise Irénée Atipo Ibara^1,2

¹Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Brazzaville University Hospital, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
²Faculty of Health Sciences, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
³Department of Clinical Oncology, Brazzaville University Hospital, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.

Introduction: Viral hepatitis B is a major public health problem in Africa. In patients receiving chemotherapy, its reactivation can be life-threatening. Systematic screening prior to chemotherapy can prevent this complication. Aim: To evaluate the practice of HBV screening before the onset of anti-cancer chemotherapy at the Brazzaville University Hospital (CHUB). Method: This was a retrospective study including patients aged 18 years and over who received chemotherapy in the CHUB oncology department from January 2021 to December 2023. Socio-demographic characteristics and frequencies of HBsAg, HBcAb and HBsAb testing prior to chemotherapy were determined. Factors associated with HBV screening were investigated using multivariate analysis. P value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: There were 312 patients, 69.6% of whom were women. Mean age was 54.9 ± 13.1 years. Breast and cervix cancers were found in 45.2% and 15.7% of patients, respectively. HBsAg testing was performed in 66.7% of patients. No patient was tested for HBcAb or HBsAb. Age greater than or equal to 60 years was associated with HBV screening (60 to 69 years: OR = 4.17, P = 0.002). Conclusion: The rate of HBV screening was inadequate. Compulsory screening of all patients eligible for chemotherapy and systematic testing for HBsAg, HBcAb and HBsAb should be made more widely available.

HBV, Screening, Chemotherapy, CHUB

Latou, P. , Latou, E. , Liboko, A. , Ndounga, E. , Malanda, J. and Ibara, B. (2025) Hepatitis B Virus Screening Prior to Chemotherapy in Patients with Solid Organ Malignancy at the Brazzaville University Hospital. Open Journal of Gastroenterology, 15, 390-401. doi: 10.4236/ojgas.2025.157036.