# Antineoplastic agents-associated hepatitis B virus reactivation: Research progress and molecular mechanisms

**Authors:** Huajie Xie, Meijun Lv, Qin Jia, Yanyan Wang, Wanlin Na, Yuan Liu, Kai Chang

PMC · DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2025.199655 · 2025-11-01

## TL;DR

This paper reviews recent progress on hepatitis B virus reactivation caused by cancer treatments and explores its molecular mechanisms and management strategies.

## Contribution

The paper provides updated insights into HBV reactivation mechanisms and offers recommendations for monitoring and managing it during cancer therapy.

## Key findings

- HBV reactivation is a significant concern with immunotherapies like ICIs, leading to treatment complications.
- Current guidelines and molecular mechanisms of HBV reactivation are analyzed to improve management strategies.
- Recommendations are proposed for assessing and monitoring HBV status during cancer treatment.

## Abstract

•We summarized the recent research progress on hepatitis B virus reactivation.•This article compares and analyzes existing mainstream guidelines for hepatitis B virus reactivation and presents viewpoints.•This article discusses and analyzes the molecular mechanisms of hepatitis B virus reactivation.•Based on the current status of hepatitis B virus reactivation research and treatment, this article puts forward recommendations.

We summarized the recent research progress on hepatitis B virus reactivation.

This article compares and analyzes existing mainstream guidelines for hepatitis B virus reactivation and presents viewpoints.

This article discusses and analyzes the molecular mechanisms of hepatitis B virus reactivation.

Based on the current status of hepatitis B virus reactivation research and treatment, this article puts forward recommendations.

HBV infection is a major global health concern, leading to numerous HBV-related deaths. Due to the lack of curative or eradicative treatments for HBV, a large number of individuals in the general population are at risk of HBV reactivation. The increasing application of ICIs for treating various malignancies has raised concerns about HBV reactivation caused by these therapies. HBV reactivation complicates the treatments, leading to the interruption or modification of therapeutic regimens, which presents a considerable challenge. In this review, we summarize relevant researches on the definition, prevalence, and pathogenesis of HBV reactivation. Furthermore, we discuss the risks and mechanism of HBV reactivation during ICIs treatment, outline management strategies for HBV reactivation, and provide recommendations for assessing and monitoring HBV status during the treatment process.

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** PDCD1 (programmed cell death 1) [NCBI Gene 5133] {aka ADMIO4, AIMTBS, CD279, PD-1, PD1, SLEB2}, CTLA4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4) [NCBI Gene 1493] {aka ALPS5, CD, CD152, CELIAC3, CTLA-4, GRD4}, CD274 (CD274 molecule) [NCBI Gene 29126] {aka ADMIO5, B7-H, B7H1, PD-L1, PDCD1L1, PDCD1LG1}
- **Diseases:** deaths (MESH:D003643), malignancies (MESH:D009369), Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (MESH:D006509)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Hepatitis B virus (no rank) [taxon 10407]

## Figures

2 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12630044/full.md

---
Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12630044