# Association between high HBV-DNA viral load and liver metastasis risk in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

## TL;DR

High HBV-DNA levels in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma increase the risk of liver metastasis, suggesting a need for antiviral therapy.

## Contribution

This study identifies high HBV-DNA viral load as a specific risk factor for liver metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

## Key findings

- High HBV-DNA viral load is associated with increased liver metastasis risk in NPC patients.
- HBV infection status alone does not correlate with liver metastasis in NPC patients.
- Multivariate analysis confirms high HBV-DNA as a significant risk factor for liver metastasis.

## Abstract

•A high HBV-DNA viral load increased the risk of liver metastasis in patients with NPC. Active HBV replication may impair hepatic immune surveillance, promoting metastatic spread.•Clinical vigilance and antiviral therapy are recommended for NPC patients with high HBV-DNA loads to mitigate liver metastasis risk.

A high HBV-DNA viral load increased the risk of liver metastasis in patients with NPC. Active HBV replication may impair hepatic immune surveillance, promoting metastatic spread.

Clinical vigilance and antiviral therapy are recommended for NPC patients with high HBV-DNA loads to mitigate liver metastasis risk.

A total of 976 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) confirmed by pathology in Xiangya Cancer Hospital of Central South University from May 2017 to December 2022 were recruited for the study. Meanwhile, the HBV-DNA was detected to explore the relationship between HBV-DNA and liver metastasis of NPC. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in the liver metastasis rate between the HBV-negative group and the HBV-positive group. The liver metastasis rate in the low HBV-DNA viral load group was lower than that in the high HBV-DNA viral load group (p = 0.049). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that high HBV-DNA viral load was a risk factor for liver metastasis in HBV-positive NPC patients (OR=2.661, 95 %CI 1.32–4.39, p = 0.044). The HBV infection status itself had no significant association with whether NPC had liver metastasis. However, a high HBV-DNA viral load increased the risk of liver metastasis in patients with NPC.