Oral Vitamin D Treatment for the Prevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Inclusion Criteria: * All subjects between the ages of 18 and 70 with chronic hepatitis B and under the oral anti-virus treatment followed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, will be offered entry into this study. The diagnosis of chronic Hepatitis B will be based on that they had been positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) for at least six months, and were positive for HBeAg or negative for HBeAg with detectable HBV DNA at screening. * No evidence of HCC on entry imaging study. * Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score under 22 (a MELD score over 22 would predict a 3 month mortality rate of approximately 20%). * Not currently participating in another intervention study. * Not pregnant or lactating, and willing to use effective contraception during study period. * Absence of any psychological, familial, sociological or geographical condition potentially hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow-up schedule. * Ability to provide written informed consent according to national/local regulations. Exclusion Criteria: * evidence of hepatocellular carcinoma within 6 months after enrollment, * a serum alanine aminotransferase level more than 10 times the upper limit of normal, * an elevated serum creatinine level, * any diagnosis of kidney stones, * a diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism or other serious disturbance of calcium metabolism in the past 5 years, * any evidence of autoimmune hepatitis, coinfection with hepatitis C or D virus or human immunodeficiency virus, * other serious concurrent illness (e.g., alcoholism, uncontrolled diabetes, or cancer), * treatment with immunomodulatory within the 6 months before screening, * treatment with any investigational drug within the 30 days before the study began.