The impact of pre-operative loco-regional therapy on outcome after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver transplantation as curative approach for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: is it justified?

BACKGROUND

Liver transplantation is considered as one of therapeutic approaches to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy of various therapeutic options for HCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred twenty patients with known HCC in various tumour stages were evaluated in the present study. Patients were treated either with primary tumour resection, transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) or liver transplantation (LTx) by an interdisciplinary team.

RESULTS

The overall 1-year and 5-year survivals of patients in LTx group were 95 and 57%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in primary tumour resection group (65 and 33%, P < 0.01) and those in TACE group (44 and 4%, P < 0.01). In parallel, 1-year and 5-year tumour-free survivals of patients in LTx group (75 and 62%) were significantly higher than those in primary tumour resection group (50 and 11%, P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in 1- and 5-year survivals of patients with early tumour stage received LTx or primary tumour resection, whereas patients in advanced tumour stage based on pathological findings of explanted liver significantly benefited from LTx as compared to primary resection.

CONCLUSIONS

LTx can be a curative approach for patients with advanced HCC without extrahepatic metastasis. However, organ shortage is a major limiting factor in the selection of HCC patients for LTx.

Allocation policy for hepatocellular carcinoma in the MELD era: room for improvement?

Currently, liver transplantation is the optimal cure for hepatocellular cancer (HCC) limited to the liver. The requisite use of a scarce resource and the effective "competition" between transplant candidates with and without HCC necessitates an allocation policy that defines the subset of HCC patients appropriate for transplantation and their equitable waiting-list prioritization relative to non-HCC patients. Under Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) allocation, HCC candidates must meet the Milan criteria (single tumor < or =5 cm in diameter or 2 or 3 tumors, each <3 cm in diameter) to qualify for exceptional HCC waiting-list consideration. Their waiting-list prioritization is based on estimating progression risk beyond the Milan criteria (termed dropout), an event for HCC patients considered equivalent to death for non-HCC patients. Although the Milan criteria may be too restrictive, thereby denying deserving patients access to transplantation, high rates of understaging by pretransplantation radiographic imaging and concern for erosion of recurrence-free survival rates have dampened enthusiasm for relaxation of tumor guidelines. The efficacy of pretransplantation locoregional therapies to reduce dropout, downstage patients, and/or decrease posttransplantation recurrence remains to be determined. Genomic, molecular, or clinical criteria to accurately differentiate HCC patients whose disease will recur from those whose disease will not recur would resolve much of the current controversy regarding appropriate criteria for HCC patients to qualify for transplantation.

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: validation of the UCSF-expanded criteria based on preoperative imaging

We previously suggested that in patients with heptocellular carcinoma (HCC), the conventional Milan criteria (T1/T2) for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) could be modestly expanded based on pathology (UCSF criteria). The present study was undertaken to prospectively validate the UCSF criteria based on pretransplant imaging. Over a 5-year period, the UCSF criteria were used as selection guidelines for OLT in 168 patients, including 38 patients exceeding Milan but meeting UCSF criteria (T3A). The 1- and 5-year recurrence-free probabilities were 95.9% and 90.9%, and the respective survivals without recurrence were 92.1% and 80.7%. Patients with preoperative T1/T2 HCC had 1- and 5-year recurrence-free probabilities of 95.7% and 90.1%, respectively, versus 96.9% and 93.6%, respectively, for preoperative T3A stage (p = 0.58). Under-staging was observed in 20% of T2 and 29% of T3A HCC (p = 0.26). When explant tumor exceeded UCSF criteria (15%), the 1- and 5-year recurrence-free probabilities were 80.4% and 59.5%, versus 98.6% and 96.7%, respectively, for those within UCSF criteria (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, our results validated the ability of the UCSF criteria to discriminate prognosis after OLT and to serve as selection criteria for OLT, with a similar risk of tumor recurrence and under-staging when compared to the Milan criteria.

Liver transplantation criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma should be expanded: a 22-year experience with 467 patients at UCLA

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the impact of current staging criteria on long term survival.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

HCC is becoming an increasingly common indication for OLT. Medicare approves OLT only for HCCs meeting the Milan criteria, thus limiting OLT for an expanding pool of potential liver recipients. We analyzed our experience with OLT for HCC to determine if expansion of criteria for OLT for HCC is warranted.

METHODS

: All patients undergoing OLT for HCC from 1984 to 2006 were evaluated. Outcomes were compared for patients who met Milan criteria (single tumor < opr =5 cm, maximum of 3 total tumors with none >3 cm), University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) criteria (single tumor <6.5 cm, maximum of 3 total tumors with none >4.5 cm, and cumulative tumor size <8 cm), or exceeded UCSF criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 467 transplants were performed for HCC. At mean follow up of 6.6 +/- 0.9 years, recurrence rate was 21.2%, and overall 1, 3, and 5-year survival was 82%, 65%, and 52%, respectively. Patients meeting Milan criteria had similar 5-year post-transplant survival to patients meeting UCSF criteria by preoperative imaging (79% vs. 64%; P = 0.061) and explant pathology (86% vs. 71%; P = 0.057). Survival for patients with tumors beyond UCSF criteria was significantly lower and was below 50% at 5 years. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor number (P < 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (P < 0.001), and poor differentiation (P = 0.002) independently predicted poor survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This largest single institution experience with OLT for HCC demonstrates prolonged survival after liver transplantation for tumors beyond Milan criteria but within UCSF criteria, both when classified by preoperative imaging and by explant pathology. Measured expansion of OLT criteria is justified for tumors not exceeding the UCSF criteria.

A decision analysis model identifies the interval of efficacy for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma awaiting liver transplantation

INTRODUCTION

For liver transplant candidates with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the ability of neoadjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) to improve outcomes remains unproven. The objective of our study was to determine if there was a specific time interval where neoadjuvant TACE would decrease the number of HCC patients removed from the pretransplant waitlist.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A decision model was developed to simulate a randomized trial of neoadjuvant treatment with TACE vs. no TACE in 600 virtual patients with HCC and cirrhosis. Transition probabilities for TACE morbidity (1 +/- 1%), TACE response rates (30 +/- 20%), and disease progression (7 +/- 7% per month) were assigned by systematic review of the literature (18 reports). Sensitivity analyses were performed to determine time thresholds where TACE would decrease the number of delisted patients.

RESULTS

TACE treatment had statistical benefit at waitlist time breakpoints of 4 and 9 months (P < 0.05). When waitlist times were less than 4 months, waitlist attrition was similar (20% vs. 34%, P = 0.08). When waitlist times exceed 9 months, waitlist dropout rates re-equilibrated (33% vs. 46%, P = 0.06). Review of the current literature determined that only those studies reporting on patients with waitlist times between 4 and 9 months found a benefit to neoadjuvant TACE.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis indicates that the benefit of neoadjuvant TACE may be limited to those patients transplanted from 4 to 9 months from first TACE. These data may help transplant programs to tailor TACE treatments based on predicted waitlist times to achieve optimal resource utilization and improved organ allocation efficiency.

Emerging approaches in hepatocellular carcinoma

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is predicted to continue to increase over the next 30 years. Surgical intervention, including resection and orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is offered to a limited number of patients. Novel approaches to the treatment of patients with HCC are needed. This article aims to review emerging approaches in the care of the HCC patient including systemic treatment, selection of appropriate candidates for OLT, improved imaging to follow treatment response, and management pre-OLT and post-OLT.

Expanded criteria for liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Following the seminal publication by the group from Milan, Italy using a restrictive set of criteria for orthotopic liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma to limit the risk for tumor recurrence, excellent 5-year patient survival of greater than 70% after liver transplantation has been reported from many centers using criteria similar to or slightly exceeding the Milan criteria (single lesion of </=5 cm, or 2-3 lesions of </=3 cm). The growing experience and success of orthotopic liver transplantation for HCC have also fueled controversies related to expansion of conventional criteria for cadaveric or living-donor liver transplantation based on tumor size and number. The limitations of imaging studies, exemplified by tumor under-staging in up to 25% of patients,have been a major concern for liberalizing the current criteria for liver transplantation. The University of California, San Francisco criteria (single lesion of </=6.5 cm, or 2-3 lesions of </=4.5 cm with a total tumor diameter </=8 cm) have been independently tested in several studies, and undergone prospective evaluation based on preoperative imaging. This article provides an in-depth review of published data on expansion of current criteria for liver transplantation.

Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Liver Transplantation: Patterns and Prognostic Factors Based on Clinical and Radiologic Features

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to elucidate on the basis of clinicoradiologic features the patterns of and prognostic factors for recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Institutional review board approval and informed consent were waived for this retrospective study. The subjects were 119 patients (102 men, 17 women; mean age, 49.8 years) with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent liver transplantation from September 1996 to May 2005 and survived more than 2 months. We evaluated the incidence, imaging features, cumulative disease-free survival rate, and prognosis for recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma. We examined clinical, therapeutic, and pretransplantation contrast-enhanced CT findings as prognostic factors and analyzed them with multivariate analysis. The median follow-up period was 17.2 months (range, 2.0-102.4 months).

RESULTS

Recurrence was found in 16 (13.4%) of 119 patients and was most frequent in the liver, with no specific pattern. A multivariate stepwise Cox hazard model showed that the presence of portal venous thrombosis, more than 3-cm diameter of the largest tumor, and a viable tumor volume ratio greater than 10% were statistically independent prognostic factors. The 3- and 5-year cumulative disease-free survival rates for the entire cohort were 82.1% and 76.6%, respectively. Despite local therapy for a solitary metastatic lesion, recurrences were common. The mortality rate among patients with recurrent disease was 56.3%.

CONCLUSION

Recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation is common, and the prognosis is not favorable. The presence of portal venous thrombosis and tumor size greater than 3 cm on baseline CT are significant risk factors. Aggressive interventional therapy seems to be helpful as a bridge to liver transplantation.

Treatment of HCC in patients awaiting liver transplantation

Liver transplantation (LT) is the treatment of choice for many patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but long waiting time due to the shortage of donor organs can result in tumor progression and drop-out from LT candidacy. Furthermore, even in candidates meeting the restrictive Milan criteria there is risk of HCC recurrence; this risk rises significantly when patients with more advanced HCC are included. In an effort to address these issues, treatment of HCC in patients awaiting LT has become widespread practice. In this review the various modalities employed in the pre-LT setting are presented, and the evidence for benefit with regard to (1) improvement of post-LT survival, (2) down-staging of advanced HCC to within Milan criteria and (3) preventing waiting list drop-out is considered. Chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation and ethanol injection all have well-documented antitumor activity; however, there is no high level evidence that waiting list HCC treatment with these modalities is effective in achieving any of the three above-mentioned aims. Nevertheless, particularly in the United States, where continued waiting list priority depends on maintaining HCC within Milan criteria, use of nonsurgical HCC treatment will likely continue in an effort to forestall tumor progression and waiting list drop-out.

Short waitlist time does not adversely impact outcome following liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma

It has been suggested that patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) have worse recurrence-free survival compared to deceased donor liver transplantation (CLT), leading to the hypothesis that short waitlist time or fast-tracking may include more aggressive tumors that would have been selected out by traditionally longer waitlist time. The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of waitlist time on HCC recurrence. The study cohort included 100 patients meeting T2 criteria by imaging before undergoing CLT (n = 90) or LDLT (n = 10). The 5-year recurrence-free probability was 89.9% for the entire cohort, and 91.9%, 90.5% and 86.6%, respectively, for waitlist time of 3 months or less, 3-6 months and > 6 months (p = 0.81). In the Cox proportional hazards model, waitlist time was also not a significant predictor of HCC recurrence. Tumor under-staging was observed in 20.5% of patients with waitlist time 3 months or less and 23.0% for waitlist time > 3 months (p = 0.81). In conclusion, our results failed to show an association between waitlist time and outcome after CLT or LDLT for HCC, and provided evidence disputing a significant role of waitlist time in the selection against HCC with unfavorable tumor biology.

Intention-to-treat analysis of liver transplantation in selected, aggressively treated HCC patients exceeding the Milan criteria

This prospective study analyzed the dropout probability and intention-to-treat survival rates of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) selected and treated according to our policy before liver transplantation (LT), with particular attention to those exceeding the Milan criteria. Exclusion criteria for LT were macroscopic vascular invasion, metastases, and poorly differentiated disease at percutaneous biopsy. A specific multi-modal adjuvant algorithm was used to treat HCC before LT. A total of 100 HCC patients were listed for LT: 40 exceeded the Milan criteria in terms of nodule size and number (MILAN OUT) either at listing or in list, while 60 patients continued to meet the criteria (MILAN IN). The Milan criteria did not prove to be a significant predictor of dropout probability or survival rates using Cox's analysis. Cumulative dropout probability at 6 and 12 months was 0% and 4% for MILAN OUT, and 6% and 11% for MILAN IN. The intention-to-treat survival rates at 1 and 3 years were 95% and 85% in MILAN OUT, and 84% and 69% in MILAN IN. None of the 68 transplanted patients had recurrent HCC after a median 16-month follow-up (0-69 months). In conclusion, LT may be effective for selected, aggressively-treated HCC patients exceeding the Milan criteria.

Transarterial Chemoembolization Before Liver Transplantation in 60 Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Tumor recurrence is a major problem after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In 60 patients OLT was performed for HCC after pretreatment by repeated transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Forty-four recipients exceeded the Milan criteria. Recurrence-free 5-year survival was 65.2% and 5-year freedom from recurrence was 73.2%. During the waiting time, 14 patients experienced minimal change, which did not fulfill the definition of tumor progression according to official oncological criteria. Five-year freedom from recurrence among patients with stable compared with progressive disease was 93.3% versus 28.1%, respectively (P = .0001). A strict TACE pretreatment protocol may select patients with obviously biologically less aggressive tumors, who are suitable for OLT even if the HCC exceeds the commonly accepted listing criteria.

Comparison of clinical outcomes in chronic hepatitis B liver transplant candidates with and without hepatocellular carcinoma

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receive a higher MELD score and may undergo liver transplantation (OLT) earlier compared to patients with cirrhosis, potentially decreasing waiting list mortality. However, post-OLT survival may be reduced by recurrence of HCC. We compared clinical outcomes between patients with HBV-cirrhosis and no HCC and patients with HBV-HCC. A total of 279 patients (HBV-cirrhosis = 183; HBV-HCC = 96) in the US HBV-OLT study were followed for a median of 30.2 months from listing. Patients with HCC were older, more likely to be Asian, and had less severe liver impairment than patients with HBV-cirrhosis. Despite a higher rate of OLT in patients with HCC (78.1% vs. 51.4%; P < 0.001), intention-to-treat (ITT) survival (73% vs. 78%) and survival without OLT (82% vs. 79%) at 5 years were similar for patients with and without HCC. Cox regression analysis identified higher albumin, lower MELD, no HCC at listing, and being transplanted to be associated with better ITT survival. Ninety-four patients with HCC (including 19 new HCC) and 75 with HBV-cirrhosis underwent OLT. Post-OLT survival (83% vs. 90%) and HBV recurrence (11% vs. 10%) at 3 years were similar, while disease (HBV and/or HCC) recurrence (19% vs. 10%; P = 0.043) was higher in patients with HBV-HCC vs. HBV-cirrhosis. Disease recurrence was the only independent predictor of post-OLT survival. In conclusion, despite more advanced liver disease and a lower rate of transplantation, ITT survival of patients listed for HBV-cirrhosis was comparable to those with HBV-HCC, possibly related to beneficial effects of antiviral therapy.

Very late recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation: case report and literature review

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurs in 10% to 60% of the patients after liver transplantation (OLT) and is associated with increased mortality. The average time to recurrence ranges from 1 to 2 years following OLT, and the median survival from the time of diagnosis is about 1 year. We report a case of a 69-year-old man who underwent OLT for hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis with HCC, and was diagnosed with recurrent HCC 6.5 years after OLT. Biopsies from the initial and recurrent tumors showed a well-differentiated HCC with foci of clear cell pattern. The patient was still alive and asymptomatic 32 months after the diagnosis despite extensive tumor burden. He expired 9 years, 9 months after OLT and 3 years, 2 months after the detection of recurrence. In conclusion, HCC may recur more than 6 years after OLT and may exhibit an indolent course. This case illustrates the highly variable rate of tumor growth and progression post-OLT. The impact of this information on the need for long-term surveillance for recurrent HCC post-OLT remains to be determined.

Response to preoperative chemoembolization correlates with outcome after liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be cured by liver transplantation (LT). However, many patients drop out during the waiting time as a result of tumor progression. We prospectively investigated the effect of transarterial chemoembolization on long-term survival of 116 patients with HCC listed for LT. Intention-to-treat analysis revealed that patients with either complete or partial response to therapy (no vital tumor or devascularization of > or =30%, respectively) as assessed by computed tomographic scan before LT had far better 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival rates (100, 93.2, and 85.7%; and 93.8, 83.6, and 66.2%, respectively) compared with those with no response or with tumor progression (82.4, 50.7, and 19.3%). Posttransplant survival analysis showed a marked survival benefit according to transarterial chemoembolization response: patients with complete or partial response had 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival rates of 89.1, 85.1, and 85.1%, and 88.6, 77.4, and 63.9%, respectively, compared with 68.6, 51.4, and 51.4% for patients whose disease did not respond to therapy. Subgroup analysis, however, showed that these benefits were only seen in patients whose disease met the Milan criteria, but not in disease exceeding the Milan criteria but fitting the expanded University of California at San Francisco criteria. These patients were also more likely to drop out as a result of tumor progression while waiting for LT (dropout rate 12.1 vs. 2.9%) and to develop recurrent HCC (21.6 vs. 7.6%). Downstaged patients did even worse, with a dropout rate of 26.7% and a 5-year survival rate of only 25%. In conclusion, the response to preoperative chemoembolization may predict long-term outcome after LT.

Pre-liver transplantation locoregional adjuvant therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma as a strategy to improve longterm survival

BACKGROUND

Preorthotopic liver transplantation locoregional therapy (LRT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) reduces drop-out rates in patients awaiting orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). In this study, we investigated the efficacy of LRT as a strategy to improve longterm survival after transplantation.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data identified 100 patients with HCC who underwent OLT between 1985 and 2005. Of these, 46 received LRT in the form of transarterial chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation, percutaneous ethanol injection, or a combination of these.

RESULTS

The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survivals, regardless of LRT, were 81.3%, 66.1%, and 61.3%, respectively. Demographic data and waiting time for OLT were similar between LRT and untreated groups. Pre-OLT radiologic stage was comparable (LRT: 2.11 +/- 0.74 versus Untreated: 2.39 +/- 0.94; p = 0.16). At the time of transplantation, the LRT group had notable tumor downstaging (1.50 +/- 1.34 versus 2.49 +/- 1.17; p = 0.008). The LRT group had better 5-year survival (82.4% versus 51.8%; p = 0.01), but this improvement was observed in patients with HCC stages II, III, and IV (77.6% versus 37.4%; p = 0.016). Sixteen LRT patients, and none untreated, revealed complete tumor necrosis with no viable tumor cells on explant pathology (pT0). These patients did not experience any longterm recurrence, in contrast to those with similar pre-OLT tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

OLT is a viable treatment option for primary HCC. LRT substantially downstages the primary tumor and improves longterm survival in patients with advanced disease. Complete tumor necrosis with LRT is associated with excellent longterm recurrence-free survival.

Response to transarterial chemoembolization as a biological selection criterion for liver transplantation in hepatocellular carcinoma

Criteria to select patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for liver transplantation (LT) are based on tumor size and number of nodules rather than on tumor biology. The present study was undertaken to assess the role of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in selecting patients with tumors suitable for LT. Ninety-six consecutive patients with HCC were treated by repeatedly performed TACE, 62 of them exceeding the Milan criteria. Patients meeting the Milan criteria were immediately listed, and patients beyond the listing criteria were listed upon downstaging of the tumor following successful TACE. Fifty patients were finally transplanted. Of these 50 patients, 34 exceeded the Milan criteria. In these 96 patients, overall 5-year survival was 51.9%. However, it was 80.9% for patients undergoing LT and 0% for patients without transplantation (P < 0.0001). Tumor recurrence was primarily influenced by the control of the disease through continued TACE during the waiting time. Freedom from recurrence after 5 years was 94.5% in patients (n = 39) with progress-free TACE during the waiting time. Tumor recurrence was significantly higher in patients (n = 11) who after initial response to TACE progressed again before LT (freedom from recurrence 35.4%; P = 0.0017). Progress-free course of TACE during the waiting time (P = 0.006; risk ratio, 8.95), and a limited number of tumor nodules as assessed in the surgical specimen (P = 0.025; risk ratio, 0.116) proved to be significant predictors for freedom from recurrence in the multivariate analysis. Milan criteria were without impact on recurrence. Our data suggest that sustained response to TACE is a better selection criterion for LT than the initial assessment of tumor size or number.

Lack of benefit of pre-transplant locoregional hepatic therapy for hepatocellular cancer in the current MELD era

The potential for disease progression in patients awaiting liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has encouraged many centers to employ pre-transplant radiofrequency ablation or chemoembolization in an attempt to control tumor burden while patients are on the wait list. Despite general acceptance by the transplant community, few objective data demonstrate pre-transplant treatment efficacy or improved post-transplant outcomes in HCC patients listed with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) exception points. To evaluate the utility of pre-transplant therapy in the current MELD era, we retrospectively compared 31 treated patients (T) with 33 untreated (U) controls. Study endpoints included patient and disease-free survival, tumor recurrence, explant tumor viability, and the ability of MRI to detect viable tumor after therapy. Both cohorts had similar demographic, radiographic, and pathologic characteristics, although untreated patients waited longer for transplantation [119 (U) vs. 54 (T) days after MELD assignment, (P = .05); range: 1 day to 21 months]. Only 20% of treated tumors demonstrated complete ablation (necrosis) as defined by histologic examination of the entire lesion. Only 55% of lesions with histologic viable tumor were detected by MRI after pre-transplant therapy. After 36 months of follow-up, there was no difference between the treated and untreated groups in overall survival (84 vs. 91%), disease free survival (74% vs. 85%), cancer recurrence (23% vs. 12%), or mortality from cancer recurrence (57% vs. 25%) (P > 0.1). In conclusion, viable tumor frequently persists after pre-transplant locoregional therapy, and neoadjuvant treatment does not appear to improve post-transplant outcomes in the current MELD era.

Interventional radiology in liver transplantation

Improvements in surgical technique, advances in the field of immunosuppresion and the early diagnosis and treatment of complications related to liver transplantation have all led to prolonged survival after liver transplantation. In particular, advances in diagnostic and interventional radiology have allowed the Interventional Radiologist, as part of the transplant team, to intervene early in patients presenting with complications related to organ transplant with resultant increase in graft and patient survival. Such interventions are often achieved using minimally invasive percutaneous endovascular techniques. Herein we present an overview of some of these diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in the treatment and management of patients before and after liver transplantation.

A prospective study on downstaging of hepatocellular carcinoma prior to liver transplantation

In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exceeding conventional (T2) criteria for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), the feasibility and outcome following loco-regional therapy intended for tumor downstaging to meet T2 criteria for OLT are unknown. In this first prospective study on downstaging of HCC prior to OLT, the eligibility criteria for enrollment into a downstaging protocol included 1 lesion >5 cm and < or =8 cm, 2 or 3 lesions at least 1 >3 cm but < or =5 cm with total tumor diameter of < or =8 cm, or 4 or 5 nodules all < or =3 cm with total tumor diameter < or =8 cm. Patients were eligible for living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) if tumors were downstaged to within proposed University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) criteria.13 A minimum follow-up period of 3 months after downstaging was required before cadaveric OLT or LDLT, with imaging studies meeting criteria for successful downstaging. Among the 30 patients enrolled, 21 (70%) met criteria for successful downstaging, including 16 (53%) who had subsequently received OLT (2 with LDLT), and 9 patients (30%) were classified as treatment failures. In the explant of 16 patients who underwent OLT, 7 had complete tumor necrosis, 7 met T2 criteria, but 2 exceeded T2 criteria. No HCC recurrence was observed after a median follow-up of 16 months after OLT. The Kaplan-Meier intention-to-treat survival was 89.3 and 81.8% at 1 and 2 yr, respectively. In conclusion, successful tumor downstaging can be achieved in the majority of carefully selected patients, but longer follow-up is needed to further access the risk of HCC recurrence after OLT.

Pretransplant treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma: do they improve outcomes?

1. Locoregional ablative treatments are commonly performed for heptocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients awaiting transplantation, either to prevent the patient becoming untransplantable due to tumor growth or to prevent tumor recurrence post-operatively. 2. Although these treatments are quite effective at tumor destruction, there is no clear evidence that they improve patient outcomes. 3. Prospective, randomized controlled trials are clearly needed to determine if pre-transplant therapy of HCC is of value.

Tumor surveillance-what can and should be done? Screening for recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation

1. The overall rate of recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver transplantation ranged from 11 to 18% in three of the largest series, with some differences in pre-transplant selection criteria. 2. Patients whose explant pathology is within the currently accepted criteria for transplantation have a low rate of recurrence (8%). Patients whose pathology is outside of the criteria have a 50% chance of recurrence, suggesting that post-operative pathology should be used to stratify screening. 3. About 10% of patients with recurrence appear to be long-term survivors after surgical therapy for the recurrence. 4. Screening all patients for HCC recurrence after transplantation is probably not cost effective and selecting patients with high risk explant pathology would be more cost effective. 5. Surprisingly, there is a dearth of information in the literature that would suggest rational screening protocols. I could not find a single article that examined protocols for screening for recurrence after transplantation. What follows is my interpretation of the effectiveness of screening after transplantation for HCC.