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: Primary hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common tumors in the world, with an estimated 500,000 to 1 million new cases a year. It is particularly common in certain regions of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa,1 where the annual incidence ranges up to 500 cases per 100,000 population. The principal reason for such a high incidence is chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and possibly hepatitis C virus (HCV). It has been estimated that approximately 300 million people are chronically infected with HBV, and most reside in these two regions of the world.2 The identification of HCV has prompted [horizontal ellipsis]

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