Please see association bewteen cancer and HCV natural history

Abstract

The natural history of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infections in long-term leukemia survivors has not been well characterized. We studied the prevalence of HCV infections, measured HCV RNA levels, and evaluated the severity of liver disease in patients with leukemia who achieved long-term remissions after intensive chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation (BMT). HCV antibody tests were performed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and positive tests confirmed by the recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA). HCV RNA levels were measured by the branched DNA (bDNA) assay. Seventy-five leukemia survivors with 25 or more blood donor exposures were identified. Nine (12%) were anti-HCV positive. All were infected before 1992 when second generation HCV screening tests were implemented. Mean HCV RNA levels were 10.3 ×106 eq/mL versus 3.2 × 106 eq/mL (P = .056) in a control group of 20 anti-HCV positive immunocompetent individuals of comparable age who were infected twice as long (17.8 ± 6.5 years v 9.0 ± 4.4 years in leukemia survivors, P = .001). Liver biopsies were performed on six of the nine anti-HCV positive leukemia survivors. All showed at least moderate portal inflammation and half had evidence of bridging fibrosis. We conclude that viral loads in anti-HCV positive leukemia survivors are markedly higher than in immunocompetent controls. Our results suggest that long-term leukemia survivors with chronic HCV may have more rapidly progressive liver disease than has been previously recognized

Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infections in Leukemia Survivors: Prevalence, Viral Load, and Severity of Liver Disease. June 1, 1999; Blood: 93 (11)

Ian M. Paul,

Jeffrey Sanders,

Francesca Ruggiero,

Thomas Andrews,

David Ungar, and

M. Elaine Eyster

In my experience,they were acquired forms , in older patients, due to autoantibodies directed against factor VIII or haematological malignancy. 

In the haemophilia community, HCV was transmitted through clotting factor concentrates.

haemophilia patients who were treated with coagulation factor concentrates before the

mid-1980s, have been infected with HCV. In the majority of this has led to liver disease i.e. chronic hepatits C followed by cirrhosis and HCC.

http://www1.wfh.org/publication/files/pdf-1214.pdf

Other reports indicate association of  malignant lymphoma and hepatitis in hemophilia patients  www.journalagent.com/tjh/pdfs/TJH_28_3_237_238.pdf