Background: HBx gene mutation has been shown associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Aims: to investigate the HBx gene mutation in chronic B hepatitis (CHB) and HCC patients and it's role in diagnosis of HCC in HBV infected patients. Subject: 148 patients infected with HBV divided into two groups (54 CHB and 94 HCC) were enrolled in this study. Methoas: HBx gene mutation was analyzed by direct sequencing. Results: There are 5 point mutation have been identified such as C1653T (44.6 percent), T1753C (17.6 percent), A 1762T (70.3 percent), G1764A (70.9 percent), and C1766T (15.5 percent). These mutation were more frequent in HCC group compared to CHB group: C1653T (66 vs 7.4 percent, p 0.0001), T1753C (24.5 vs 5.6 percent, p 0.01), A1762T (83 vs 48.1 percent, p 0.0001), G1764A (81 vs 53.7percent, p 0.00l), and C1766T (21.3 vs 5.6 percent, p 0.005). These mutation are associated with HCC in HBV infected patients with OR (95 percent CI) are 9.92 (3.16-40.6)
5.5 (1.52-29.9)
5.2 (2.3-12.1)
3.6 (1.6-8.1) and 4.6 (1.3-25.2), respectively. Conclusion: HBx gene mutation is relative frequence in patient infected with HBV and is associated with the progression of HCC.