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Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation can occur in patients with inactive HBV infection when they experience immunosuppression, typically after starting chemotherapy. The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases recommends screening all patients prior to starting chemotherapy; however, not all medical societies (e.g., the American Society of Clinical Oncology) endorse this practice. How often screening occurs in clinical practice is unclear.
In a retrospective study, investigators assessed the rate of HBV screening among 8000 patients who underwent cytotoxic chemotherapy for solid or hematologic malignancies between 2006 and 2011 at a single U.S. academic center. Screening was identified as hepatitis B surface antigen testing perf…