Hepatitis B virus (HBV) contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development through
direct and indirect mechanisms. HBV DNA integration into the host genome occurs at early
steps of clonal tumor expansion and induces both genomic instability and direct insertional
mutagenesis of diverse cancer-related genes. Prolonged expression of the viral regulatory
protein HBx and/or altered versions of the preS/S envelope proteins dysregulates cell
transcription and proliferation control and sensitizes liver cells to carcinogenic factors …