Expanded criteria for liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a report from the International Registry of Hepatic Tumors in Liver Transplantation

Role of locoregional therapy including liver transplantation in liver-only metastatic colorectal cancer: a review paper

INTRODUCTION

Resection of primary tumor and liver metastases is the gold standard for colorectal cancer with liver-only metastases (CRLM). Although treatment options have expanded to enable conversion of unresectable to resectable CRLM, about 40% of patients will have definitively unresectable disease. Major advances in surgical techniques, immunosuppressive protocols and patient selection criteria for liver transplantation have resulted in improved outcomes.

AREAS COVERED

A literature search has been conducted in Pubmed for articles published between 2014 and 2024. This review paper comments on current liver-directed treatment options for CRLM: resection, percutaneous ablation, conversion-chemotherapy, TACE, SIRT, and SABR. We explore evidence for liver transplantation in patients with unresectable CRLM, comment on possible limitations for implementation in clinical practice and give an overview of the current guidelines on liver transplantation in the USA, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Australia/New Zealand.

EXPERT OPINION

The recent randomized TRANSMET trial, investigating liver transplantation versus chemotherapy in unresectable CRLM, shows promising 5-year OS reaching similar values as for other accepted liver transplantation indications. Further investigations with RCTs to investigate reproducibility and feasibility in clinical practice are needed. Before liver transplantation can be implemented as a standard treatment option, reorganizations at federal, regional and hospital levels would be required.

Are Ki-67 and Procalcitonin Expression Levels Useful in Predicting the Biological Behavior of Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Liver Transplantation?

Background: Examinations of procalcitonin (PCT) and Ki-67 expression levels in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who have undergone liver transplantation (LT) through immunohistochemical analyses of tumor tissue may reveal the biological characteristics of the tumor, thus informing the selection of HCC patients for LT. Methods: Hepatectomy specimens from 86 HCC patients who underwent LT were obtained and analyzed immunohistochemically for the expression of PCT and Ki-67. The percentage and intensity of PCT staining, as well as the percentage of Ki-67 expression, were assessed for each patient. The impacts of PCT and Ki-67 expression on disease-free survival, overall survival, and the recurrence rate were studied, as well as their correlations with other clinicopathological features. Results: The recurrent HCC group showed a higher Ki-67 level (p < 0.001), larger maximum dominant tumor diameter (p < 0.001), and higher rate of vascular invasion (p = 0.001). The pre-transplant AFP (p = 0.001), maximum dominant tumor diameter (p < 0.001), number of tumor nodules (p < 0.001), rate of vascular invasion (p = 0.001), and Ki-67 level (p = 0.044) were higher in patients beyond the Milan criteria. Similarly, the pre-transplant AFP (p < 0.001); maximum dominant tumor diameter (p < 0.001); number of tumor nodules (p < 0.001); rates of portal vein tumor thrombus (p = 0.002), poor differentiation (p = 0.021), and vascular invasion (p < 0.001); and Ki-67 level (p = 0.010) were higher in patients beyond the expanded Malatya criteria. The maximum dominant tumor diameter (p = 0.006); Ki-67 level (p = 0.003); rates of vascular invasion (p < 0.001), cases beyond the Milan criteria (p = 0.042) and the expanded Malatya criteria (p = 0.027), and portal vein tumor thrombus (p = 0.020); and presence of recurrence (p < 0.001) were higher in HCC patients with mortality. The Kaplan-Meier estimates indicated that Ki-67 levels exceeding 5% significantly affected DFS and OS. Although the Kaplan-Meier estimates indicated that a PCT staining percentage of ≥25% did not have a statistically significant effect on DFS or OS, the outcomes may be considered clinically significant. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the Ki-67 proliferation index can be used as a predictive biomarker of the biological behavior of HCC. Furthermore, we claim that PCT expression over a particular threshold might impact recurrence and survival, and we believe that further multicenter prospective studies focused on standardized PCT antibody staining are crucial in order to determine its potential as a biomarker for HCC.

Biomarkers for diagnosis and therapeutic options in hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver cancer is a global health challenge, causing a significant social-economic burden. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the predominant type of primary liver cancer, which is highly heterogeneous in terms of molecular and cellular signatures. Early-stage or small tumors are typically treated with surgery or ablation. Currently, chemotherapies and immunotherapies are the best treatments for unresectable tumors or advanced HCC. However, drug response and acquired resistance are not predictable with the existing systematic guidelines regarding mutation patterns and molecular biomarkers, resulting in sub-optimal treatment outcomes for many patients with atypical molecular profiles. With advanced technological platforms, valuable information such as tumor genetic alterations, epigenetic data, and tumor microenvironments can be obtained from liquid biopsy. The inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity of HCC are illustrated, and these collective data provide solid evidence in the decision-making process of treatment regimens. This article reviews the current understanding of HCC detection methods and aims to update the development of HCC surveillance using liquid biopsy. Recent critical findings on the molecular basis, epigenetic profiles, circulating tumor cells, circulating DNAs, and omics studies are elaborated for HCC diagnosis. Besides, biomarkers related to the choice of therapeutic options are discussed. Some notable recent clinical trials working on targeted therapies are also highlighted. Insights are provided to translate the knowledge into potential biomarkers for detection and diagnosis, prognosis, treatment response, and drug resistance indicators in clinical practice.

Transplant Oncology: An Emerging Discipline of Cancer Treatment

Transplant oncology is an emerging concept of cancer treatment with a promising prospective outcome. The applications of oncology, transplant medicine, and surgery are the core of transplant oncology to improve patients' survival and quality of life. The main concept of transplant oncology is to radically cure cancer by removing the diseased organ and replacing it with a healthy one, aiming to improve the survival outcomes and quality of life of cancer patients. Subsequently, it seeks to expand the treatment options and research for hepatobiliary malignancies, which have seen significantly improved survival outcomes after the implementation of liver transplantation (LT). In the case of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the transplant setting, where the liver is the most common site of metastasis of patients who are considered to have unresectable disease, initial studies have shown improved survival for LT treatment compared to palliative therapy interventions. The indications of LT for hepatobiliary malignancies have been slowly expanded over the years beyond Milan criteria in a stepwise manner. However, the outcome improvements and overall patient survival are limited to the specifics of the setting and systematic intervention options. This review aims to illustrate the representative concepts and history of transplant oncology as an emerging discipline for the management of hepatobiliary malignancies, in addition to other emerging concepts, such as the uses of immunotherapy in a peri-transplant setting as well as the use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for surveillance post-transplantation.

Can living donor liver transplantation provide similar outcomes to deceased-donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma? A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

A potential solution to the deceased organ shortage is to include live organ donations and to identify patients with lower rates of HCC recurrence to fairly allocate liver grafts. Our aims were to detect the long-term outcomes of LDLT versus DDLT for HCC and predictors of recurrence after transplantation.

METHODS

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane library were searched for eligible studies from inception to July 2021 and a systematic review and meta-analysis were done.

RESULTS

35 studies with a total of 7822 patients were included. The 1-, 3-, 4 year-OS showed trivial improvement for LDLT recipients. However, the two modalities had similar 5-, 6- and 10-year OS. A significant improvement in the ITT-OS was observed for LDLT recipients. Regarding the DFS and recurrence after transplantation, no significant difference was observed between LDLT and DDLT. In addition to that, the pooled hazard ratio of the included studies showed that Milan criteria, level of AFP, presence of vascular invasion, tumor differentiation were significant predictors of recurrence.

CONCLUSION

The cancer biology (not the graft type) is the most important determinant of recurrence and survival after LT. However, LDLT provided much better survival benefits to HCC patients especially in regions that suffer from low deceased organ availability.

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: Historical evolution of transplantation criteria

Liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma is still a hot topic, and the main factor that is associated with the success of treatment is to determine the patients who will benefit from LT. Milan criteria have been defined 25 years ago and still is being used for patient selection for LT. However, in living donor LT, the Milan criteria is being extended. Current criteria for patient selection do not only consider morphologic characteristics such as tumor size and number of tumor nodules but also biologic markers that show tumor aggressiveness is also being considered. In the present review article, we have summarized all the criteria and scoring systems regarding LT for hepatocellular carcinoma. All criteria have 5-year overall survival rates that were comparable to the Milan Criteria and ranged between 60%-85%. On the other hand, it was seen that the recurrence rates had increased as the Milan criteria were exceeded; the 5-year recurrence rates ranged between 4.9% to 39.9%. Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma needs a multidisciplinary approach. Ideal selection criteria are yet to be discovered. The same is true for treatment modalities. The goal will be achieved by a harmonic interplay between basic science researchers and clinicians.

Impact of muscle mass on survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation beyond the Milan criteria

BACKGROUND

Access to the liver transplant waitlist for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) depends on tumour presentation, biology, and response to treatments. The Milan Criteria (MC) represent the benchmark for expanded criteria that incorporate additional prognostic factors. The purpose of this study was to determine the added value of skeletal muscle index (SMI) in HCC patients beyond the MC.

METHOD

Patients with HCC that were transplanted beyond the MC were included in this retrospective multicentre study. SMI was quantified using the Computed Tomography (CT) within 3 months prior to transplantation. Cox regression models were used to identify predictors of overall survival (OS). The discriminative performance of SMI extended Metroticket 2.0 and AFP models was also assessed.

RESULTS

Out of 889 patients transplanted outside the MC, 528 had a CT scan within 3 months prior to liver transplantation (LT), of whom 176 (33%) were classified as sarcopenic. The median time between assessment of the SMI and LT was 1.8 months (IQR: 0.77-2.67). The median follow-up period was 5.1 95% CI [4.7-5.5] years, with a total of 177 recorded deaths from any cause. In a linear regression model with SMI as the dependent variable, only male gender (8.55 95% CI [6.51-10.59], P < 0.001) and body mass index (0.74 95% CI [0.59-0.89], P < 0.001) were significant. Univariable survival analysis of patients with sarcopenia versus patients without sarcopenia showed a significant difference in OS (HR 1.44 95% CI [1.07 - 1.94], P = 0.018). Also the SMI was significant (HR 0.98 95% CI [0.96-0.99], P = 0.014). The survival difference between the lowest SMI quartile versus the highest SMI quartile was significant (log-rank: P = 0.005) with 5 year OS of 57% and 71%, respectively. Data from 423 patients, describing 139 deaths, was used for multivariate analysis. Both sarcopenia (HR 1.45 95% CI [1.02 - 2.05], P = 0.036) and SMI were (HR 0.98 95% CI [0.95-0.99], P = 0.035) significant. On the survival scale this translates to a 5 year OS difference of 11% between sarcopenia and no sarcopenia. Whereas for SMI, this translates to a survival difference of 8% between first and third quartiles for both genders.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, we can conclude that higher muscle mass contributes to a better long-term survival. However, for individual patients, low muscle mass should not be considered an absolute contra-indication for LT as its discriminatory performance was limited.

Are Current National Review Board Downstaging Protocols for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Too Restrictive?

BACKGROUND

Liver transplantation (LT) is an effective strategy for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To qualify for standardized LT model for end-stage liver disease exception points, the United Network for Organ Sharing National Liver Review Board (NLRB) requires that the presenting and final HCC tumor burden be within the University of California San Francisco criteria, which were recently expanded (within expanded UCSF [W-eUCSF]). Current NLRB criteria may be too restrictive because it has been shown previously that the initial burden does not predict LT failure when tumors downstage to UCSF. This study aims to assess LT outcomes for HCC initially presenting beyond expanded UCSF (B-eUCSF) criteria in a large multicenter collaboration.

STUDY DESIGN

Comparisons of B-eUCSF and W-eUCSF candidates undergoing LT at seven academic institutions between 2001 and 2017 were made from a multi-institutional database. Survival outcomes were compared by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS

Of 1,846 LT recipients with HCC, 86 (5%) met B-eUCSF criteria at initial presentation, with the remainder meeting W-eUCSF criteria. Despite differences in tumor burden, B-eUCSF candidates achieved comparable 1-, 5- and 10-year overall (89%, 70%, and 55% vs 91%, 74%, and 60%, respectively; p = 0.2) and disease-free (82%, 60%, and 53% vs 89%, 71%, and 59%, respectively; p = 0.07) survival to patients meeting W-eUCSF criteria after LT. Despite increased tumor recurrence in B-eUCSF vs W-eUCSF patients (24% vs 10%, p = 0.0002), post-recurrence survival was similar in both groups (p = 0.69).

CONCLUSION

Transplantation for patients initially presenting with HCC B-eUSCF criteria offers a survival advantage similar to those with tumors meeting W-eUCSF criteria at presentation. The current NLRB policy is too stringent, and considerations to expand criteria should be discussed.

Neoadjuvant treatment strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains high globally. Surgical treatment is the best treatment for improving the prognosis of patients with HCC. Neoadjuvant therapy plays a key role in preventing tumor progression and even downstaging HCC. The liver transplantation rate and resectability rate have increased for neoadjuvant therapy. Neoadjuvant therapy is effective in different stages of HCC. In this review, we summarized the definition, methods, effects, indications and contraindications of neoadjuvant therapy in HCC, which have significance for guiding treatment.

Hepatocellular cancer selection systems and liver transplantation: from the tower of babel to an ideal comprehensive score

The Milan criteria (MC) remain the cornerstone for the selection of patients with hepatocellular cancer (HCC) to be listed for liver transplantation (LT). Recently, several expanded criteria have been proposed to increase the transplantability of HCC patients without compromising their (oncologic) outcome. This paper aims to systematically review the different reported HCC-LT selection systems looking thereby at their ability to increase the number of transplantable patients and the overall survival and oncological outcome. A systematic review of the literature covering the period 1993 (date of the first reported HCC-LT selection system)-2021 identified 59 different inclusion criteria of HCC for LT. Among the 59 studies reporting HCC-LT selection systems, 15 (28.3%) were exclusively based on morphological aspects of the tumor; 29 (54.7%) included biologic, seven (13.2%) radiological, and two (3.8%) only included pathological tumor features. Overall, 31% more patients could be transplanted when adhering to the new HCC-LT selection systems. Despite the increased number of LT, 5-year patient and disease-free survival rates were similar between MC-IN and MC-OUT/new HCC-LT-IN criteria. A careful extension of the inclusion criteria should allow many more patients to access a potentially curative LT without compromising their outcome. The development of a widely accepted "comprehensive" HCC-LT Score able to offer a fair chance of justified transplantation to more patients should become a priority within the liver transplant community. Further studies are needed to develop internationally accepted, expanded selection criteria for liver transplantation of HCC patients.

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: Improving eligibility without compromising outcomes

Background

In the context of liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), traditional transplant criteria appear restrictive. The objective of the current study was to determine risk factors for recurrence and improve transplant eligibility in patients with HCC.

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent living donor liver transplant (LDLT) for HCC (n = 219). Largest tumor diameter, tumor number, AFP and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio were assessed. Multivariate analysis was performed to develop risk scores. The new model was compared with seven previously published transplant criteria using receiver operator curves.

Results

Largest tumor size >3.7 cm [HR:2.6, P = 0.02], and AFP > 600 ng/ml [HR:4.7, P = 0.001] were independent predictors of recurrence. Patients with risk scores of 0, 1–3, 4–6 and 7–9 had recurrence rate of 5.9%, 12.5%, 25% and 58.4% respectively. When compared with Milan criteria, Metro ticket 2.0, AFP model and Samsung criteria; transplant eligibility increased by 31.5%, 22.9%, 8.7%, and 7% respectively. Recurrence rate with the current model was 16/199 (8%) (P < 0.0001) and was comparable with other transplant criteria (6.9–9.1%). On ROC analysis, only Milan criteria (AUC = 0.7, P = 0.001) and the current model (AUC = 0.66, P = 0.01) showed significance for recurrence. All patients with high risk scores within Milan criteria had recurred at 3 years (P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Low AFP can be used to select patients for LDLT outside traditional criteria for HCC, with comparable recurrence rates.

•

There is an unmet need to expand transplant pool for hepatocellular carcinoma.

•

We developed a model, based on tumor size cutoff of 3.7 cm, any tumor number, and AFP cutoff of 600 ng/ml; and compared it with other transplant criteria.

•

There was considerable expansion in transplant pool with comparable outcomes.

Number of hepatocellular carcinoma nodules in patients listed for liver transplantation within alpha-fetoprotein score: a new prognostic risk factor

In France, the listing for liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) requires an AFP score ≤2. This study evaluates whether the number of nodules assessed immediately before LT has a prognostic value among patients already listed within AFP score. Among 143 recipients transplanted with an AFP score ≤2 between 2013 and 2017 in our center, the number of nodules was considered at listing on the waiting list and at last imaging before LT. We compared the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) post-LT of patients with ≤3 and >3 nodules (current classification), and aimed to propose a new criteria to exclude patients on list at high risk of recurrence. The 3-year OS of patients with ≤3 HCC vs. >3 HCC at listing was of 90.3% vs. 67.3%, respectively (P = 0.04). At last imaging, eight listed patients presented ≥5 HCC nodules and had a significantly lower OS than <5 nodules patients (5-year OS: 24.4% vs. 78.1%; P = 0.01). Although the current AFP score offers satisfactory outcomes, we highlight the poorer outcomes when ≥5 nodules persist or appear after listing. A modification of the AFP score is mandatory to consider exclusion of high-risk patients already listed for LT program.

Do We Need to Be Limited by Matching Milan Criteria for Survival in Living Donor Liver Transplantation?

PURPOSE

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths and the 7th most common cancer. It has two characteristic features: being advanced stage at diagnosis and association with liver cirrhosis. Liver transplantation (LT) offers the only curative option to treat both components of the disease. The Milan criteria have been extensively used for selecting patients with HCC for LT. However, using Milan criteria, we can only transplant 30% of the patients. The aim of the present review is to evaluate the role of LT in HCC beyond the Milan criteria.

METHODS

We evaluated the studies that have introduced extended criteria to select patients with HCC beyond the Milan criteria. We evaluated the outcomes in terms of disease-free survival rates and HCC recurrences.

RESULTS

There are patients with tumors that are beyond Milan criteria that could benefit from LT. Selection of these patients has paramount importance in the era of living donor liver transplantation. Current expanded criteria depend on either the bulk of the tumor or the additional surrogate markers of tumor biology such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and des-gamma carboxyprothrombin (DCP).

CONCLUSION

There is no ideal marker or an extended criterion for selecting patients with HCC beyond the Milan criteria and it needs further research to find an effective biomarker that has prognostic significance to select patients with advanced tumors.

Hepatobiliary MR contrast agent uptake as a predictive biomarker of aggressive features on pathology and reduced recurrence-free survival in resectable hepatocellular carcinoma: comparison with dual-tracer 18F-FDG and 18F-FCH PET/CT

OBJECTIVES

To compare the performance of the quantitative analysis of the hepatobiliary phase (HBP) tumor enhancement in gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA)-enhanced MRI and of dual-tracer 18F-FDG and 18F-fluorocholine (FCH) PET/CT for the prediction of tumor aggressiveness and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

This retrospective, IRB approved study included 32 patients with 35 surgically proven HCCs. All patients underwent Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI including delayed HBP images, 18F-FDG PET/CT, and (for 29/32 patients) 18F-FCH PET/CT during the 2 months prior to surgery. For each lesion, the lesion-to-liver contrast enhancement ratio (LLCER) on MRI HBP images and the SUV_max tumor-to-liver ratio (SUV_T/L) for both tracers were calculated. Their predictive value for aggressive pathological features-including the histological grade and microvascular invasion (MVI)-and RFS were analyzed and compared using area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves and Cox regression models, respectively.

RESULTS

The AUROCs for the identification of aggressive HCCs on pathology with LLCER, 18F-FDG SUV_T/L, and 18F-FCH SUV_T/L were 0.92 (95% CI 0.78, 0.98), 0.89 (95% CI 0.74, 0.97; p = 0.70), and 0.64 (95% CI 0.45, 0.80; p = 0.035). At multivariate Cox regression analysis, LLCER was identified as an independent predictor of RFS (HR (95% CI) = 0.91 (0.84, 0.99), p = 0.022). LLCER - 4.72% or less also accurately predicted moderate-poor differentiation grade (Se = 100%, Sp = 92.9%) and MVI (Se = 93.3%, Sp = 60%) and identified patients with poor RFS after surgical resection (p = 0.030).

CONCLUSIONS

HBP tumor enhancement after Gd-BOPTA injection may help identify aggressive HCC pathological features, and patients with reduced recurrence-free survival after surgical resection.

KEY POINTS

• In patients with resectable HCC, the quantitative analysis of the HBP tumor enhancement in Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI (LLCER) accurately identifies moderately-poorly differentiated and/or MVI-positive HCCs. • After surgical resection for HCC, patients with LLCER - 4.72% or less had significantly poorer recurrence-free survival than patients with LLCER superior to - 4.72%. • Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI with delayed HBP images may be suggested as part of pre-surgery workup in patients with resectable HCC.

Is it Time to Abandon the Milan Criteria?: Results of a Bicoastal US Collaboration to Redefine Hepatocellular Carcinoma Liver Transplantation Selection Policies

OBJECTIVES

European liver transplant (LT) centers have moved away from using the Milan Criteria (MC) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patient selection, turning to models including tumor biological indices, namely alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). We present the first US model to incorporate an AFP response (AFP-R), with comparisons to MC and French-AFP models (F-AFP).

METHODS

AFP-R was measured as differences between maximum and final pre-LT AFP in HCC patients undergoing LT at 3 US centers (2001 to 2013). Cox and competing risk-regression analyses identified predictors of recurrence-free survival (RFS).

RESULTS

Of 1450 patients, 235 (16.2%) were outside MC. Tumor size, number, and AFP-R were independent predictors of RFS and were assigned weighted points based on Cox-regression analysis. An AFP-R consistently < 200 ng/mL predicted the best outcome. A 3-tiered competing-risk RFS model, the New York/California (NYCA) score, was developed, accurately discriminating between groups (P < 0.001), and correlating with overall survival (P < 0.001). Two hundred one of 235 patients outside MC (85.5%) would be recategorized into NYCA low/acceptable-risk groups. The c-statistic for our NYCA score is 0.731 compared with 0.613 for MC and 0.658 for F-AFP (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Incorporation of AFP-R into HCC selection criteria allows for MC expansion. As United Network for Organ Sharing considers adding AFP to selection algorithms, the NYCA score provides an objective, user-friendly tool for centers to appropriately risk-stratify patients.

Hepatocellular carcinoma - time to take the ticket

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the leading malignancies worldwide. Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma and its management in the form of liver transplantation offers an attractive treatment option. The Milan criteria, proposed by Mazzaferro et al, have been the standard for selecting patients with hepatocellular carcinoma for transplantation. Recently, several studies have shown that even patients selected outside the Milan criteria can undergo transplantation with a relatively good outcome. This article examines the currently existing criteria other than the Milan criteria and also evaluates use of alpha-fetoprotein and positron emission tomography scans to predict the chance of recurrence.

Controversies in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma

The management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has evolved considerably over the last decade. Surveillance of cirrhotic patients and refinements to imaging techniques have enabled a relevant proportion of patients to be diagnosed at an early stage, when effective therapies are feasible. Resection, transplantation and ablation are all options in patients with early stage HCC. Thus, there is some controversy regarding which is the best treatment approach in challenging scenarios. There have also been major developments in locoregional therapies, particularly in intra-arterial approaches. Finally, the systemic treatment for HCC has changed dramatically following the demonstration of a survival benefit with sorafenib; there are currently several first-line (sorafenib and lenvatinib) and second-line (regorafenib, cabozantinib and ramucirumab) treatments that have shown a survival benefit. Expectations for immune checkpoint inhibitors are high, with the results of the ongoing phase III trials eagerly awaited. In this review we discuss some of the controversies in the management of HCC, focussing in particular on systemic therapy.

Underlying liver disease and advanced stage liver cancer are associated with elevated neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio

Background/Aims

Inflammation-based scores, such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), have been associated with prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); but variable cut-off values and potential lack of specificity have limited the utility of NLR. This study evaluates NLR in a large cohort of HCC patients.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 789 HCC cases (1993–2017) for demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment, and survival. NLR was stratified into NLR ≥1.5 and NLR ≥3 and analyzed for correlation with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages. In 235 patients who underwent liver resection, survival and recurrence were evaluated by NLR.

Results

In 789 HCC cases, mean NLR was increased with advanced AJCC and BCLC stages. Hepatitis C patients were less likely to have NLR ≥1.5 and ≥3. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients were more likely to have NLR ≥3. Patients with tumor size >5 cm, rupture, or macrovascular invasion were more likely to have NLR ≥3. In patients treated with resection, NLR ≥3 predicted early recurrence (odds ratio [OR] 4.14, P<0.01) and overall recurrence (OR 4.05, P<0.01). Mean NLR was 4.30 in those with recurrence and 2.75 in those without recurrence. Patients with NLR ≥3 showed significantly worse survival compared to those with NLR <3 (P<0.01 by log-rank test).

Conclusions

Elevated NLR is associated with advanced cancer stage and aggressive tumor characteristics, such as large size, rupture, and invasion. NLR ≥3 was associated with early and overall recurrence after resection but varied with etiology. NLR may be a useful biomarker in predicting recurrence for HCC patients undergoing curative resection, but further studies are required to elucidate the effect of disease etiology.

Assessing Competing Risks for Death Following Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as an indication to liver transplant (LT) started as palliative treatment, then moved to potentially curative anti-cancer therapy and more recently entered the era of competition with non-cancer indications, consequent to the need of the society to target equal distribution of the limited resource of donated organs among different indications. Nowadays HCC is a leading indication to LT, currently representing up to 50% of the indications in most transplant Centers. The risk of post-transplant death and the causes of mortality significantly vary along the post-transplant follow-up. Overall, the main causes of death after LT are multiple organ failure and cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal complications. However, after the first post-LT year, mortality for technical complications, infections and general complications significantly decrease, while recurrence of primary liver diseases (particularly malignancies) increase, turning to be the main causes of death. In studies with time-to-event or survival outcomes, a competing risk is an event whose occurrence precludes the occurrence of the primary event of interest. In the setting of LT for HCC, when the primary outcome of interest is death due to HCC recurrence, death due to causes different from this serves as a competing event because subjects who die from such different causes are no longer at risk of death due to HCC recurrence. The introduction of HCC-specific survival as a primary endpoint in studies assessing the outcomes of LT for HCC allows the identification of independent oncologic determinants of post-LT survival and their relative weight on patients' prognosis. In this view, a continuous model based on level of AFP, tumor size and tumor number that allows to determine the risk of death from HCC-related factors after liver transplantation ( www.hcc-olt-metroticket.org/ ) has been recently developed. Since the endpoint of HCC-specific survival is not influenced by the changes observed in short-term post-LT survival (thanks to advances in the clinical management) nor in long-term post-LT survival (thanks to the introduction of effective treatments achieving control of hepatitis B and C viruses), a model predicting HCC-specific survival will be an helpful prognostic tool in the context of the changing scenarios of LT for HCC.

Validation of the α-fetoprotein Model for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence After Transplantation in an Asian Population

BACKGROUND

This study was designed to validate the α-fetoprotein model for predicting recurrence after liver transplantation in Korean hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

METHODS

Patients who underwent liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma at Samsung Medical Center between 2007 and 2015 were included. Recurrence, overall survival, and disease-specific survival of patients divided by both the Milan criteria and the α-fetoprotein model were compared using Kaplan-Meier log-rank test. The predictability of the α-fetoprotein model compared with the Milan criteria was tested by means of net reclassification improvement analysis applied to patients with a follow-up of at least 2 years.

RESULTS

A total of 400 patients were included in the study. Patients within Milan criteria had 5-year recurrence, and overall survival rates of 20.9% and 76.3%, respectively, compared with corresponding rates of 50.3% and 55.7%, respectively, for patients who were beyond Milan criteria. α-Fetoprotein model low-risk patients had 5-year recurrence and overall survival rates of 21.1% and 76.2%, respectively, compared with corresponding rates of 57.7% and 52.2%, respectively, in high-risk patients (P < 0.001, all). Although overall net reclassification improvements were statistically nonsignificant for recurrence (net reclassification improvements [NRI] = 1.7%, Z = 0.30, P = 0.7624), and overall survival (NRI = 9.0%, Z = 1.60, P = 0.1098), they were significantly better for predicting no recurrence (NRI = 6.6%, Z = 3.16, P = 0.0016) and no death. (NRI = 7.7%, Z = 3.65, P = 0.0003).

CONCLUSIONS

The α-fetoprotein model seems to be a promising tool for liver transplantation candidacy, but further investigation is needed.

Is It Time to Reconsider the Milan Criteria for Selecting Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma for Deceased-Donor Liver Transplantation?

Liver transplantation (LT) is considered the optimal treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) because it removes tumor as well as the underlying cirrhotic liver. Because of a global organ shortage, LT for patients with HCC is limited to patients with expected survival comparable to that of nonmalignant indications. Therefore, identifying patients with lower rates of HCC recurrence and higher rates of survival is critical. International guidelines have considered the Milan Criteria (MC) the standard for selecting patients with HCC for deceased-donor LT (DDLT). However, several alternative criteria have been reported in the Western world. Interestingly, the two most recent models combining α-fetoprotein level, number of nodules, and size of the largest nodule have been shown to outperform MC in identifying patients with low risk of HCC recurrence or those who will survive for 5 years after liver transplantation. In addition, new models overcome limitations of MC in improving classification of high- versus low-risk patients with HCC for DDLT. These recent scoring systems also provide clinicians with user-friendly tools to better identify patients at lower risk of recurrence. Conclusion: Although most Western countries still select patients based on MC, there is a mounting change in recent practice patterns regarding the selection of patients with HCC for DDLT. Herein, we describe how alternative criteria should lead to reconsideration of MC as it applies to selecting patients with HCC for DDLT in international guidelines.

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma with live donors or extended criteria donors: a propensity score-matched comparison

Background

To compare patient survival after liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from live donors (LD) or extended criteria donors (ECD).

Methods

Data from consecutive LT procedures for HCC involving either LD or ECD were reviewed. Patient survival was our primary outcome. Re-transplantation (Re-LT), ischemic type bile lesions (ITBL), and tumor recurrence represented secondary outcomes. The primary outcome was statistically analyzed using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards regression; logistic regression analyses were used for statistical analysis of the secondary outcomes. Propensity score was calculated based on patient age, sex, hepatitis C viral infection (HCV), laboratory model for end-stage liver disease (labMELD) score, bridging treatment, Milan criteria, α-fetoprotein levels, and tumor grade.

Results

The study evaluated 109 recipients undergoing LT from either LD (n=57) or ECD (n=52). LT procedure (hazard ratio [HR] 2.349, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.151-4.794, P=0.0190), age (HR 1.075, 95%CI 1.020-1.133, P=0.0074) and labMELD score (HR 1.082, 95%CI 1.021-1.147, P=0.0075) reached significance by Cox proportional hazards regression. After adjustment with the propensity score (stratification with 5 strata), the LT procedure was still significant (HR 2.401, 95%CI 1.114-5.175, P=0.0253). Tumor grade (odds ratio [OR] 9.628, 95%CI 1.120-82.752, P=0.0391), labMELD score (OR 1.224, 95%CI 1.019-1.471, P=0.0306), and Milan criteria (OR 6.375, 95%CI 1.239-32.796, P=0.0267) gained statistical significance by logistic regression analysis for Re-LT, ITBL, and tumor recurrence, respectively.

Conclusions

LT for HCC showed superior patient survival with ECD rather than LD grafts. Re-LT, ITBL, and tumor recurrence showed no significant differences between the two groups. However, the diverging criteria for the definition of ECD grafts represent a considerable limitation for the wide application of this policy.

Expansion of the hepatocellular carcinoma Milan criteria in liver transplantation: Future directions

Milan criteria are currently the benchmark related to liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma. However, several groups have proposed different expanded criteria with acceptable results. In this article, we review the current status of LT beyond the Milan criteria in three different scenarios-expanded criteria with cadaveric LT, downstaging to Milan criteria before LT, and expansion in the context of adult living donor LT. The review focuses on three main questions: what would the impact of the expansion beyond Milan criteria be on the patients on the waiting list; whether the dichotomous criteria (yes/no) currently used are appropriate for LT or continuous survival estimations, such as the one of “Metroticket” and whether it should enter into the clinical practice; and, whether the use of living donor LT in the context of expansion beyond Milan criteria is justified.

Accuracy of Milan, University of California San Francisco, and Up-To-7 Criteria in Predicting Tumor Recurrence Following Deceased-Donor Liver Transplant in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate the accuracy of the Milan, University of California San Francisco, and Up-to-7 criteria in predicting tumor recurrence after liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For this study, 165 patients with deceased-donor liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma were evaluated. The Milan, University of California San Francisco, and Up-to-7 criteria were calculated based on explant pathology.

RESULTS

Tumor recurrence rate after liver transplant was 14.6%. Of 165 patients, 115 (70%) were within Milan, 131 (79%) were within University of California San Francisco, and 135 (82%) were within Up-to-7 criteria. The odds ratio of tumor recurrence in patients outside versus within criteria for Milan, University of California San Francisco, and Up-to-7 was 3.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.5-9.1; P = .005), 7.5 (95% confidence interval, 2.5-19.3; P < .001), and 7.5 (95% confidence interval, 2.9-19.6; P < .001) times higher, respectively. The sensitivity of being outside of Milan in predicting tumor recurrence was comparable to University of California San Francisco and Up-to-7 criteria (56.5%, 56.5%, and 52.2%, respectively). Specificity was highest in Up-to-7 (87.3%) versus 85.2% for University of California San Francisco and 73.9% for Milan criteria. The area under the curve for Milan, University of California San Francisco, and Up-to-7 criteria was 0.63, 0.65, and 0.63.

CONCLUSIONS

Application of standard criteria has significantly improved prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence. However, these criteria are inadequate, supporting the importance of other factors, including tumor biology. Research is ongoing in discovering novel biomarkers as predictors of tumor recurrence.

Surgical Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In select patients, surgical treatment in the form of either resection or transplantation offers a curative option. The aims of this review are to (1) review the current American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases/European Association for the Study of the Liver guidelines on the surgical management of HCC and (2) review the proposed changes to these guidelines and analyze the strength of evidence underlying these proposals. Three authors identified the most relevant publications in the literature on liver resection and transplantation for HCC and analyzed the strength of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) classification. In the United States, the liver allocation system provides priority for liver transplantation to patients with HCC within the Milan criteria. Current evidence suggests that liver transplantation may also be indicated in certain patient groups beyond Milan criteria, such as pediatric patients with large tumor burden or adult patients who are successfully downstaged. Patients with no underlying liver disease may also benefit from liver transplantation if the HCC is unresectable. In patients with no or minimal (compensated) liver disease and solitary HCC ≥2 cm, liver resection is warranted. If liver transplantation is not available or contraindicated, liver resection can be offered to patients with multinodular HCC, provided that the underlying liver disease is not decompensated. Many patients may benefit from surgical strategies adapted to local resources and policies (hepatitis B prevalence, organ availability, etc). Although current low-quality evidence shows better overall survival with aggressive surgical strategies, this approach is limited to select patients. Larger and well-designed prospective studies are needed to better define the benefits and limits of such approach.

Survival outcomes of liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with normal, high and very high preoperative alpha-fetoprotein levels

AIM

To investigate the impact of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) on long-term recurrence rate and overall survival and we also aimed to define the level of AFP leading to a higher risk of disease recurrence and affecting patient survival.

METHODS

Data of adult patients who received liver transplant (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at our hospital from January 2000 to December 2013 were reviewed. Reviewed data included demographic characteristics, preoperative AFP level, operative details, follow-up details, and survival outcomes. Patients were mostly listed for LT based on Milan or UCSF criteria. For the purpose of this study, normal AFP level was defined as AFP value < 10 ng/mL, high AFP level was defined as AFP value ≥ 10 to < 400 ng/mL, and very high AFP level was defined as AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL. The patients were divided into these 3 groups accordingly. Survival rates were plotted as Kaplan-Meier curves and compared by log-rank analysis. Continuous variables were expressed as median (interquartile range). Categorical variables were compared by Spearman's test. Discriminative analysis was used to define the lowest value of AFP that could affect the overall survival in study population. Statistical significance was defined by a P value of < 0.05.

RESULTS

Totally 250 adult patients underwent LT for HCC in the study period. Eight-four of them received deceased-donor LT and 166 had living-donor LT. The patients were divided into 3 groups: Group A, AFP < 10 ng/mL (n = 83); Group B, AFP ≥ 10 to < 400 ng/mL (n = 131); Group C, AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL (n = 36). The commonest etiology was hepatitis-B-related cirrhosis. The Model for End-stage Liver Disease scores in these groups were similar (median, 13 vs 13 vs 12; P = 0.745). The time to operation in Group A was longer (median, 94 vs 31 vs 35 d; P = 0.001). The groups were similar in hospital mortality (P = 0.626) and postoperative complication (P = 0.702). Pathology of explants showed that the 3 groups had similar numbers of tumor nodules, but the tumors in Group C were larger (A: 2.5 cm, B: 3.0 cm, C: 4.0 cm; P = 0.003). Group C had a bigger proportion of patients who were beyond Milan criteria (P = 0.010). Poor differentiation and vascular permeation were also more common in this group (P = 0.017 and P = 0.003 respectively). It also had poorer 5-year survival (A: 85.5%, B: 82.4%, C: 66%; P = 0.029). The 5-year disease-free survival was 84.3% in Group A, 80.1% in Group B, and 61.1% in Group C. Receiver operating characteristic area under the curve for AFP in predicting tumor recurrence was 0.685. The selected cut-off value was 54 ng/mL for AFP (C-index 0.685; 95%CI: 0.592-0.779; sensitivity 0.595; specificity 0.687). On discriminative analysis, AFP value of 105 ng/mL was shown to affect the overall survival of the patients.

CONCLUSION

HCC patients with a high preoperative AFP level had inferior survival after LT. AFP level of 54 ng/mL was associated with disease recurrence, and AFP level of 105 ng/mL was found to be the cut-off value for overall survival difference.

Liver transplantation vs liver resection in patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma beyond Milan criterion: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of published reports to compare long-term outcomes after liver transplantation (LT) and liver resection (LR), respectively, in patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) beyond the Milan criterion.

METHODS

A systematic search of the Embase, Medline, PubMed databases, and the Cochrane Library was performed using both medical subject headings (MeSH) and truncated word searches to identify all comparative studies published on this topic. The primary outcomes were postoperative overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). We calculated the pooled hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of OS and DFS.

RESULTS

Pooled analysis of six studies, with a total of 1697 patients with HCC beyond Milan criteria, did not reveal a statistically significant improvement in OS in patients undergoing LT vs LR (LT vs LR, HR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.68-1.01, P = .06), without significant heterogeneity (χ²  = 8.38, I² = 40.3%, P = .137). Five studies with a total of 1511 patients were included in pooled analysis of DFS between LT and LR group. In the fixed-effects model, patients in the LT group gained significantly better DFS (LT vs LR, HR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.37-0.56, P < .001) than patients in the LR group, with no significant heterogeneity (χ²  = 6.80, I² = 41.6%, P = .144). Four studies provided the data of adjusted HRs (LT vs LR). In the fixed-effects model, patients in the LT group had significantly better OS (HR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.44-0.77, P < .001, I² = 0%) and DFS (HR: 0.14, 95% CI: 0.08-0.23, P < .001, I² = 0%) than those of patients in the LR group. The sensitivity analyses revealed that the results were robust.

CONCLUSION

Our meta-analysis demonstrated that HBV-related patients with HCC beyond Milan criterion who underwent LT gained better OS and DFS compared with patients who underwent LR after adjusting confounding factors.

Recurrence After Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A New MORAL to the Story

OBJECTIVE

We sought to develop a "Model Of Recurrence After Liver transplant" (MORAL) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

BACKGROUND

The Milan criteria are used to allocate livers to patients with HCC requiring liver transplantation (LT) but do not include objective measures of tumor biology. Biological markers including the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) have been associated with recurrence risk.

METHODS

Prospective cohort study of adults undergoing LT for HCC between January 2001 and December 2012.

RESULTS

A total of 339 patients were included. On multivariable Cox regression analysis, 3 preoperatively available factors were independent predictors of worse recurrence-free survival (RFS), namely, an NLR ≥ 5 (P < 0.0001, hazard ratio, HR: 6.2), AFP > 200 (P < 0.0001, HR: 3.8), and Size >3 cm (P < 0.001, HR: 3.2). The Pre-MORAL score was constructed from the hazard ratios and assigning patients points in an additive fashion, with a minimum of 0 points (no factors) and a maximum of 13 points (all 3 factors). The highest risk patients in the Pre-MORAL had a 5-year RFS of 17.9% compared with 98.6% for the low risk group (P < 0.0001). The post-MORAL was constructed similarly using the 4 postoperatively available independent predictors of worse RFS, grade 4 HCC's (P < 0.0001, HR: 5.6), vascular invasion (P = 0.019, HR: 2.0), size >3 cm (P < 0.0001, HR: 3.2) and number >3 (P = 0.048, HR: 1.8). The pre- and post-MORAL were superior to Milan at predicting recurrence with c-statistics of 0.82 and 0.87, compared with 0.63, respectively. We then combined the scores to produce a combo-MORAL, with a c-statistic of 0.91 for predicting recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

The MORAL score provides a simple, highly accurate tool for predicting recurrence and risk-stratification pre- and postoperatively.

Liver Resection and Transplantation for Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Beyond Milan Criteria

OBJECTIVES

To assess survival after liver resection and transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) beyond Milan criteria.

BACKGROUND

The role of liver resection and transplantation remains controversial for patients with HCC beyond Milan criteria. Resection of advanced tumors and transplantation using extended-criteria are pursued at select high-volume center.

METHODS

Patients from 5 liver cancer centers in the United States who had liver resection or transplantation for HCC beyond Milan criteria between 1990 and 2011 were included in the study. Multivariable and propensity-matching analyses estimated the effects of clinical factors and operative selection on survival.

RESULTS

Of 608 patients beyond Milan without vascular invasion, 480 (79%) patients underwent resection and 128 (21%) underwent transplantation. Clinicopathologic profiles between resection and transplant patients differed significantly. Hepatitis C and cirrhosis were more prevalent in transplantation group (P < 0.001). Resection patients had larger tumors [median 9 cm, interquartile range (IQR): 6.5-12.9 cm vs. median 4.1, IQR: 3.4-5.3 cm, P < 0.001]; transplant patients were more likely to have multiple tumors (78% vs 28%, P < 0.001).Overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were both greater after tumor downstaging and transplantation than resection (all P < 0.001). OS did not differ between liver transplant recipients who were not pretreated or pretreated and failed to downstage compared with propensity-matched liver resection patients (P ≥ 0.176); DFS in this propensity matched cohort was greater after liver transplantation (P ≤ 0.017).

CONCLUSIONS

Liver resection and transplantation provide curative options for patients with HCC beyond Milan criteria. Further treatment strategies aimed at the efficiency and durability of tumor downstaging and expansion of the role of transplantation among suitable candidates could improve outcomes in patients with large or multifocal HCC.

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: outcomes and novel surgical approaches

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the best treatment option for patients with early-stage tumours and accounts for ∼20-40% of all liver transplantations performed at most centres worldwide. The Milan criteria are the most common criteria to select patients with HCC for transplantation but they can be seen as too restrictive. Several proposals have been made for a moderate expansion of the criteria, which result in good outcomes but with an increase in the risk of tumour recurrence. In this Review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the outcomes after liver transplantation for HCC, focusing on tumour recurrence in terms of surveillance, prevention and treatment. Additionally, novel surgical techniques have been developed to increase the available pool of organs for liver transplantation (such as living donor liver transplantation, donation after circulatory death and split livers), but the effect of these techniques on patients with HCC is still under debate. Thus, we will describe these techniques and expose the benefits and disadvantages of each surgical approach. Finally, we will comment on the limitations of the current priority policies for liver transplantation and the need to further refine them to better serve the population.

Validation of the AFP model as a predictor of HCC recurrence in patients with viral hepatitis-related cirrhosis who had received a liver transplant for HCC

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The AFP model was shown to be superior to the Milan criteria for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after liver transplantation in a French population. Our aim was to test the AFP model in a non-French, post-hepatitic cirrhosis-based population of HCC candidates.

METHODS

574 patients transplanted for HCC in four Italian centers were studied. AFP score was assessed at the last evaluation before liver transplantation (LT). Probabilities of recurrence and survival were estimated by the log-rank test or competing risk analysis and compared according to the AFP model.

RESULTS

24.7% patients were beyond Milan criteria. HCC complicated hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) cirrhosis in 58.7% and 24% of the cases, respectively. Five-year probabilities of recurrence differed according to AFP score ⩽2 vs. >2 in the whole population (13.2±1.8% vs. 49.8±8.7%, p<0.001, HR=4.98), in patients within Milan criteria (12.8±2.0% vs. 32.4±12.1%, p=0.009, HR=3.51), beyond Milan criteria (14.9±4.2% vs. 58.9±11.5%, p<0.001, HR=4.26), HCV patients (14.9±2.5% vs. 67.6±14.7%, p<0.001, HR=6.56) and HBV patients (11.6±3.4% vs. 34.3±12.5%, p=0.012, HR=3.49). By net reclassification improvement analysis AFP score significantly improved prediction of non-recurrence compared to Milan criteria. Overall five-year survival rates according to AFP score ⩽2 or >2 were 71.7±2.2% vs. 42.2±8.3% (p<0.001, HR=2.14).

CONCLUSIONS

The AFP model identifies HCC candidates at low risk of recurrence, otherwise excluded by Milan criteria in a population with a predominance of post-hepatitic-related HCC. The AFP score can be proposed for selection of HCC candidates in programs with a high proportion of viral/HCV-related cirrhosis.

LAY SUMMARY

Selection criteria for liver transplantation of patients affected with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are based on the Milan criteria, which have been shown to be too restrictive, precluding access to liver transplantation for some patients who might be cured by this operation. Recently, a French group of researchers developed a new selection model called the AFP model, or AFP score, allowing some patients with HCC not meeting Milan criteria to be transplanted with excellent results. In the present work, the AFP score was tested in a population of non-French patients transplanted for HCC occurring mainly on post-hepatitic (HCV or HBV) cirrhosis. The results confirm that in this specific population, as in the original French population of patients, the AFP model better selects patients with HCC eligible for transplantation, compared to Milan criteria. We conclude that the AFP score, which has been officially adopted by the French organization for Organ Sharing for HCC patients, can also be implemented in countries with an important burden of HCC occurring on post-hepatitic cirrhosis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma beyond Milan criteria: Management and transplant selection criteria

Liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been established as a standard treatment in selected patients for the last two and a half decades. After initially dismal outcomes, the Milan criteria (MC) (single HCC ≤ 5 cm or up to 3 HCCs ≤ 3 cm) have been adopted worldwide to select HCC patients for LT, however cumulative experience has shown that MC can be too strict. This has led to the development of numerous expanded criteria worldwide. Morphometric expansions on MC as well as various criteria which incorporate biomarkers as surrogates of tumor biology have been described. HCC that presents beyond MC initially can be downstaged with locoregional therapy (LRT). Post-LRT monitoring aims to identify candidates with favorable tumor behavior. Similarly, tumor marker levels as response to LRT has been utilized as surrogate of tumor biology. Molecular signatures of HCC have also been correlated to outcomes; these have yet to be incorporated into HCC-LT selection criteria formally. The ongoing discrepancy between organ demand and supply makes patient selection the most challenging element of organ allocation. Further validation of extended HCC-LT criteria models and pre-LT treatment strategies are required.

Contribution of alpha-fetoprotein in liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is the main tumor biomarker available for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although it is neither a good screening test nor an accurate diagnostic tool for HCC, it seems to be a possible prognostic marker. However, its contribution in liver transplantation for HCC has not been fully determined, although its use to predict recurrence after liver transplantation has been underlined by international societies. In an era of organ shortages, it could also have a key role in the selection of patients eligible for liver transplantation. Yet unanswered questions remain. First, the cut-off value of serum AFP above which liver transplantation should not be performed is still a subject of debate. We show that a concentration of 1000 ng/mL could be an exclusion criterion, whereas values of < 15 ng/mL indicate patients with an excellent prognosis whatever the size and number of tumors. Monitoring the dynamics of AFP could also prove useful. However, evidence is lacking regarding the values that should be used. Today, the real input of AFP seems to be its integration into new criteria to select patients eligible for a liver transplantation. These recent tools have associated AFP values with morphological criteria, thus refining pre-existing criteria, such as Milan, University of California, San Francisco, or “up-to-seven”. We provide a review of the different criteria submitted within the past years. Finally, AFP can be used to monitor recurrence after transplantation, although there is little evidence to support this claim. Future challenges will be to draft new international guidelines to implement the use of AFP as a selection tool, and to determine a clear cut-off value above which liver transplantation should not be performed.

Proposal of new expanded selection criteria using total tumor size and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose - positron emission tomography/computed tomography for living donor liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: The National Cancer Center Korea criteria

AIM: To expand the living donor liver transplantation (LT) pool of eligible patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using new morphological and biological criteria.

METHODS: Patients with HCC who underwent living donor LT (LDLT) from March 2005 to May 2013 at the National Cancer Center Korea (NCCK) were enrolled. We performed the ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) before LDLT. Overall and disease-free survival analysis was done in patients to evaluate the usefulness of new NCCK criteria using PET/CT and total tumor size (10 cm).

RESULTS: We enrolled a total of 280 patients who pathologically confirmed to have HCC and performed the PET/CT before transplantation. Among them, 164 (58.6%) patients fulfilled the NCCK criteria and 132 patients (47.1%) met the Milan criteria. Five-year overall and disease-free survival rates for patients who fulfilled the NCCK criteria showed 85.2% and 84.0%, respectively, and were significantly higher than those beyond the NCCK criteria (60.2% and 44.4%, respectively; P < 0.001). The correlation analysis between preoperative imaging tests and pathologic reports using Cohen’s Kappa demonstrated the better results in the NCCK criteria than those in the Milan criteria (0.850 vs 0.583). The comparison of disease-free analysis among the NCCK, Milan, and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) criteria using the receiver operating characteristics curves revealed the similar area under the curve value criteria (NCCK vs Milan, P = 0.484; NCCK vs UCSF, P = 0.189 at 5-years).

CONCLUSION: The NCCK criteria using hybrid concept of both morphological and biological parameters showed an excellent agreement between preoperative imaging and pathological results, and favorable survival outcomes. These new criteria might select the optimal patients with HCC waiting LDLT and expand the selection pool.

Current Treatment Approaches to HCC with a Special Consideration to Transplantation

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. The mainstay of treatment of HCC has been both resectional and transplantation surgery. It is well known that, in selected, optimized patients, hepatectomy for HCC may be an option, even in patients with underlying cirrhosis. Resectable patients with early HCC and underlying liver disease are however increasingly being considered for transplantation because of potential for better disease-free survival and resolution of underlying liver disease, although this approach is limited by the availability of donor livers, especially in resectable patients. Outcomes following liver transplantation improved dramatically for patients with HCC following the implementation of the Milan criteria in the late 1990s. Ever since, the rather restrictive nature of the Milan criteria has been challenged with good outcomes. There has also been an increase in the donor pool with marginal donors including organs retrieved following cardiac death being used. Even so, patients still continue to die while waiting for a liver transplant. In order to reduce this attrition, bridging techniques and methods for downstaging disease have evolved. Additionally new techniques for organ preservation have increased the prospect of this potentially curative procedure being available for a greater number of patients.

An early look at the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network explant pathology form data

In April 2012, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) implemented an online explant pathology form for recipients of liver transplantation who received additional wait-list priority for their diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of the form was to standardize the data being reported to the OPTN, which had been required since 2002 but were submitted to the OPTN in a variety of formats via facsimile. From April 2012 to December 2014, over 4500 explant forms were submitted, allowing for detailed analysis of the characteristics of the explanted livers. Data from the explant pathology forms were used to assess agreement with pretransplant imaging. Explant data were also used to assess the risk of recurrence. Of those with T2 priority, 55.7% were found to be stage T2 on explant. Extrahepatic spread (odds ratio [OR] = 6.8; P < 0.01), poor tumor differentiation (OR = 2.8; P < 0.01), microvascular invasion (OR = 2.6; P < 0.01), macrovascular invasion (OR = 3.2; P < 0.01), and whether the Milan stage based on the number and size of tumors on the explant form was T4 (OR = 2.4; P < 0.01) were the strongest predictors of recurrence. In conclusion, this analysis confirms earlier findings that showed an incomplete agreement between pretransplant imaging and posttransplant pathology in terms of HCC staging, though the number of patients with both no pretransplant treatment and no tumor in the explant was reduced from 20% to <1%. In addition, several factors were identified (eg, tumor burden, age, sex, region, ablative therapy, alpha-fetoprotein, Milan stage, vascular invasion, satellite lesions, etc.) that were predictive of HCC recurrence, allowing for more targeted surveillance of high-risk recipients. Continued evaluation of these data will help shape future guidelines or policy recommendations. Liver Transplantation 22 757-764 2016 AASLD.

Living donor liver transplantation in the USA

Living donor liver transplant (LDLT) accounts for a small volume of the transplants in the USA. Due to the current liver allocation system based on the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), LDLT has a unique role in providing life-saving transplantation for patients with low MELD scores and significant complications from portal hypertension, as well as select patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Donor safety is paramount and has been a topic of much discussion in the transplant community as well as the general media. The donor risk appears to be low overall, with a favorable long-term quality of life. The latest trend has been a gradual shift from right-lobe grafts to left-lobe grafts to reduce donor risk, provided that the left lobe can provide adequate liver volume for the recipient.

Review of imaging techniques in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients who require a liver transplant

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to retrospectively compare the diagnostic performance of ultrasound (US), contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and contrast-enhanced MRI in cirrhotic patients who were candidates for liver transplantation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 273 consecutive patients with 218 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) nodules, who underwent imaging and subsequent transplantation, were examined. Diagnosis of HCC was based on explant correlation of the whole liver. Three different imaging data sets were evaluated: US, MDCT and MRI unenhanced and dynamic phases. Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value, with corresponding 95% confidence intervals, were determined. Statistical analysis was performed for all lesions and for two lesion subgroups (≤2 and >2 cm). Preoperative tumour staging was analysed.

RESULTS

Patient sensitivity to US, MDCT and MRI was 80.4, 81.1 and 90.5%, respectively. Specificity was 96.3, 96.2 and 82.1%. Combined US and MDCT improved sensitivity (88%) without significant loss in specificity (95.7%). Imaging tests resulted in accurate tumour staging in 83.4% of the patients. In per-nodule analysis, technique sensitivity was 55.6, 52.4 and 65.9%, respectively. Sensitivity figures improved when the nodule was larger than 2 cm.

CONCLUSION

Combining imaging techniques is a good strategy for pretransplant HCC diagnosis and provides more accurate cancer staging in patients, which is necessary to decide the correct therapeutic approach.

[Diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Update consensus document from the AEEH, SEOM, SERAM, SERVEI and SETH]

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary malignancy of the liver and one of the most frequent causes of death in patients with liver cirrhosis. Simultaneously with the recognition of the clinical relevance of this neoplasm, in recent years there have been important developments in the diagnosis, staging and treatment of HCC. Consequently, the Asociación Española para el Estudio del Hígado has driven the need to update clinical practice guidelines, continuing to invite all the societies involved in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease to participate in the drafting and approval of the document (Sociedad Española de Trasplante Hepático, Sociedad Española de Radiología Médica, Sociedad Española de Radiología Vascular e Intervencionista y Sociedad Española de Oncología Médica). The clinical practice guidelines published in 2009 accepted as Clinical Practice Guidelines of the National Health System has been taken as reference document, incorporating the most important advances that have been made in recent years. The scientific evidence for the treatment of HCC has been evaluated according to the recommendations of the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov) and the strength of recommendation is based on the GRADE system.

Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Single Center Resume Overlooking Four Decades of Experience

Background. This is a single center oncological resume overlooking four decades of experience with liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods. All 319 LT for HCC that were performed between 1975 and 2011 were included. Predictors for HCC recurrence (HCCR) and survival were identified by Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier analysis, Log Rank, and χ²-tests where appropriate. Results. HCCR was the single strongest hazard for survival (exp⁡(B) = 10.156). Hazards for HCCR were tumor staging beyond the histologic MILAN (exp⁡(B) = 3.645), bilateral tumor spreading (exp⁡(B) = 14.505), tumor grading beyond G2 (exp⁡(B) = 8.668), and vascular infiltration of small or large vessels (exp⁡(B) = 11.612, exp⁡(B) = 18.324, resp.). Grading beyond G2 (exp⁡(B) = 10.498) as well as small and large vascular infiltrations (exp⁡(B) = 13.337, exp⁡(B) = 16.737, resp.) was associated with higher hazard ratios for long-term survival as compared to liver transplantation beyond histological MILAN (exp⁡(B) = 4.533). Tumor dedifferentiation significantly correlated with vascular infiltration (χ²p = 0.006) and intrahepatic tumor spreading (χ²p = 0.016). Conclusion. LT enables survival from HCC. HCC dedifferentiation is associated with vascular infiltration and intrahepatic tumor spreading and is a strong hazard for HCCR and survival. Pretransplant tumor staging should include grading by biopsy, because grading is a reliable and easily accessible predictor of HCCR and survival. Detection of dedifferentiation should speed up the allocation process.

The relative net health benefit of liver resection, ablation, and transplantation for early hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

There are no conclusive cost-effectiveness studies measuring the efficacy of salvage LT after liver resection (LR) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and compensated cirrhosis. The aim of the present study is to compare liver transplantation (LT) versus locoregional therapy plus salvage LT (to treat tumor recurrence) in patients with early HCC and compensated cirrhosis.

METHODS

Reference case: 55-year old male with HCC within Milan criteria and Child-Pugh A cirrhosis. The analysis was performed in two geographical cost settings: USA and Italy. Survival benefit measured in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), costs (C) in US$, incremental cost-effectiveness, willingness to pay, and net health benefit (NHB).

RESULTS

In the base-case analysis, NHB of LT vs. LR and RFA was -1.7 and -1.3 years for single tumor ≤3 cm, -1.2 and -0.7 for single nodules measuring 3.1-5 cm and -0.7 and -0.7 for multi-nodular tumor ≤3 cm in Italy. In USA, NHB of LT versus LR and RFA were -1.2 and -0.8 years for single tumor ≤3 cm, -0.9 and -0.5 for single nodules measuring 3.1-5 cm, and -0.5 and -0.4 for multi-nodular tumor ≤ 3 cm. On the Monte Carlo simulation, only young patients with multi-nodular HCC and short waiting list time had a positive NHB. Salvage LT proved to be an ineffective cost strategy after RFA or LR.

CONCLUSION

In patients with HCC within Milan criteria and Child-Pugh A cirrhosis, LR and RFA were more cost-effective than LT. Salvage LT was not cost-effective.

A Surgical Perspective on Targeted Therapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, is difficult to treat and highly lethal. Since HCC is predominantly diagnosed in patients with cirrhosis, treatment planning must consider both the severity of liver disease and tumor burden. To minimize the impact to the patient while treating the tumor, techniques have been developed to target HCC. Anatomical targeting by surgical resection or locoregional therapies is generally reserved for patients with preserved liver function and minimal to moderate tumor burden. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis and small tumors are optimal candidates for liver transplantation, which offers the best chance of long-term survival. Yet, only 20%-30% of patients have disease amenable to anatomical targeting. For the majority of patients with advanced HCC, chemotherapy is used to target the tumor biology. Despite these treatment options, the five-year survival of patients in the United States with HCC is only 16%. In this review we provide a comprehensive overview of current approaches to target HCC. We also discuss emerging diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, novel therapeutic targets identified by recent genomic profiling studies, and potential applications of immunotherapy in the treatment of HCC.

Recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation: an update

Liver transplantation is the only curative alternative for selected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who are not eligible for resection and/or with decompensated cirrhosis. According to Milan criteria the 5-year survival rate is 70-85%, with a recurrence-free survival of 75%. However, HCC recurrence rate after liver transplantation remains a significant problem in the clinical practice. The prognosis in patients with HCC recurrence is poor. The treatment of choice for HCC recurrence is surgery, but it seems that a systemic treatment based on combination of an mTOR inhibitor with sorafenib can be used. Data on safety and efficacy are limited, clinical monitoring is necessary. The aim of this review is to underline the main concerns, pitfalls and warnings for these patients.

Liver transplantation for malignancies

Liver transplantation (LT) has become an acceptable and effective treatment for selected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with excellent outcomes. More recently, LT has been tried in different primary and secondary malignancies of the liver. The outcomes of LT for very selected group of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) have been promising. Excellent results have been reported in LT for patients with unresectable hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE). In contrast to excellent results after LT for HEHE, results of LT for angiosarcoma have been disappointing with no long-term survivors. Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common primary liver cancer in pediatric age group. Long-term outcomes after LT in patients with unresectable tumor and good response to chemotherapy have been promising. Indication for LT for hepatic metastasis from neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is mainly for patients with unresectable tumors and for palliation of medically uncontrollable symptoms. Posttransplant survival in those patients with low tumor activity index is excellent, despite recurrence of the tumor. More recent limited outcomes data on LT for unresectable hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer have claimed some survival benefit compared to the previous reports. However, due to the high rate of tumor recurrence in a very short time after LT, especially in the era of organ shortage, this indication has not been favored by the transplant community.