Epidemiologic Study of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the US

Inclusion criteria

for HCC cases:

• a diagnosis of primary liver cancer (excluding secondary tumors)
• a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma if histology is available (excluding those diagnosed in intrahepatic bile duct, bile canals, biliary passages, canaliculi, gall duct and gallbladder)
• a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with or without microscopic evaluation (including those diagnosed with clinical evidence, lab tests and direct visualization or radiographic and other imaging evidence)
• a histology of primary hepatocellular carcinoma when the patients had a prior diagnosis of other forms of cancer (excluding those who had no histological diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma while having a prior history of other cancer;
• age at diagnosis between 35 and 84 years
• living in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, or Hawaii for at least a year as regular residents.

Exclusion criteria

for HCC cases:

• uncertain diagnoses or classification of malignancy, such as unknown origin
• a diagnosis of primary tumors in other organs, not in the liver
• unable to communicate well enough in English or Spanish
• having medical conditions, such as mental disorders, that prevent the subject from providing reasonably comprehensible information or from being able to give informed consent.
• diagnosed at age <35 years or >84 years
• temporary residents of New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, or Hawaii

Inclusion criteria

for control subjects:

• age between 35 and 84 years
• living in New Jersey or Connecticut for at least a year as regular residents
• able to communicate well in English or Spanish
• having no medical conditions, such as mental disorders, that prevent them from providing adequately comprehensible information
• potential subjects with a previous history of cancer are eligible.

Exclusion criteria

for control subjects:

• age < 35 years or > 84 years
• temporary residents of New Jersey or Connecticut
• unable to speak English or Spanish
• cannot provide adequately comprehensible information