Poor outcomes after liver transplantation in patients with incidental cholangiocarcinoma irrespective of tumor localization

Outcomes of Liver Transplantation with Incidental Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma-Own Experience and a Systematic Review

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma, the second most common primary liver cancer, is still a contraindication for performing liver transplantation in most patients. Despite various trials being performed in large clinical centers, the results are still not satisfactory. The aim of this study was to present cases from our own cohort and perform a systematic review of the results of liver transplantation in patients with incidental intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients who underwent liver transplantation and identified two patients with incidental intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma via histopathological examination of the explanted liver. The results of radiological and biochemical screening performed during liver transplantation, standardized histopathological examination and follow-up data are presented. Additionally, a systematic review of PubMed and Cochrane Reviews based on the PRISMA protocol was performed, yielding 413 similar cases. Results: We present two cases of incidental intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma found after liver transplantation. The patients were managed according to a standard protocol with no consecutive modification of immunosuppression or chemotherapy. There was no recurrence or mortality. In this systematic review, the mean reported number of lesions ranged between 1 and 2 per patient. A total of 42 recurrences were reported. The percentage of recurrences ranged between 28.6% and 80%. Conclusions: Despite not being a frequent finding, follow-up and further treatment of patients with incidental iCCA should be reported and analyzed. Extra carefulness in screening is advised in patients who are already diagnosed with oncological disease of the liver. In long-term follow-up, recurrence of the disease is rather probable.

Long-Term Outcomes of Incidental Liver Malignancies in Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Transplant Recipients

BACKGROUND

The pretransplant diagnosis of liver malignancies in nodular cirrhotic livers remains a diagnostic challenge despite current advances. Although the prognostic impact of incidental hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCC) in liver transplant recipients is well documented, there are no data on the impact in simultaneous liver kidney transplant (LKT) recipients.

METHODS

This is a single-center observational, retrospective study of all LKT performed from May 1993 to April 2022. Among these patients, demographic data, immunosuppressive therapy, rejection episodes, and prevalence of incidental HCC or iCC were evaluated.

RESULTS

One hundred eight LKTs were performed and 6 were excluded. There were 13 patients with incidental carcinomas in the explanted liver: one of them with both an HCC and iCC, one with an iCC, and the remaining with an HCC. One case of iCC died. No other recurrences occurred. There were no cases of incidental HCC nor iCC in patients with a hereditary or metabolic LKT indication. We found no differences in the 5-year patient survival, and death-censored kidney and liver graft survival rates for those LKT with an incidental HCC and those without it (76.9% vs 84.2%, P = .5; 100% vs 91.6%, P = .28; and 100% vs 94.7%, P = 0.39, respectively). Finally, there were no significant associations between explant carcinoma and rejections of the liver (7.7% vs 17.9%, P = .34) or kidney graft (0% vs 16.8%, P = 0.11).

CONCLUSION

Despite a high prevalence of incidental HCC or iCC, patient, kidney, and liver graft 5-year survival were unaffected by incidental HCC.

The Role of Immunosuppression for Recurrent Cholangiocellular Carcinoma after Liver Transplantation

Liver transplantation (LT) for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), or biliary tract cancer (BTC), remains controversial regarding high recurrence rates and poor prognosis. Oncological follow-up may benefit from tumor-inhibiting properties of mTOR inhibitors (mTORI), shown with improved survival for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after LT. The aim of this study was to investigate the recurrence and survival in relation to tumor type and type of immunosuppression (IS). LT patients with CCA or mixed HCC/CCA (mHCC/CCA) (n = 67) were retrospectively analyzed. Endpoints were the time from LT to recurrence (n = 44) and survival after recurrence. Statistically significant impairment in survival for recurrent CCA (rCCA) was shown in patients not eligible for surgical resection (HR 2.46 (CI: 1.2−5.1; p = 0.02). Histological proven grading >1 and N1 status at initial transplantation were associated with impaired survival (HR 0.13 (CI: 0.03−0.58); p < 0.01 and HR 3.4 (CI: 1.0−11.65); p = 0.05). Reduced IS after tumor recurrence improved survival (HR 4.2/CI: 1.3−13.6; p = 0.02). MTORI initiation before recurrence or after had no significant impact on survival. Our data thereby indicate, similar to findings in recurrent HCC after LT, that patients with rCCA after LT benefit from a reduction in IS upon recurrence.

Analysis of Patients With Incidental Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma: An Old and a Persistent Burden for Liver Transplantation

BACKGROUND

Selected patients with unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (p-CCA) are now considered as candidates for liver transplant, provided they fulfill a strict perioperative treatment and staging protocol. The aim of this study was to examine the outcomes of patients after liver transplant with incidental p-CCA found in the liver explants.

METHODS

A cohort of 10 patients with incidental p-CCA after liver transplant in the period between 1994 and 2019 was included in this retrospective analysis. All patients with this diagnosis were scheduled for transplant because of primary sclerosing cholangitis. The primary and secondary endpoints comprised patient's death and tumor recurrence, respectively, assessed over a 5-year postoperative period.

RESULTS

Patient median age was 35 years (range, 32-42 years). Median size of the tumor was 3.0 cm (range, 2.5-4.0 cm). Five patients (50%) had metastases to local lymph nodes. Overall survival was 100%, 37.5%, and 18.8% after the first, third, and fifth postoperative year, respectively, with median survival of 21 months. Patient age (P = .827), R1 resection status (P = .144), tumor diameter (P = .432), and presence of lymph node metastases (P = .663) were not significantly associated with overall survival. Recurrence-free survival was 60.0% after the first postoperative year and 22.5% after the third and fifth postoperative years, with median recurrence-free survival of 13.6 months. No significant predictors of tumor recurrence were found.

CONCLUSIONS

Incidental p-CCA in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis undergoing liver transplant is associated with universally very high risk of postoperative tumor recurrence and short expected survival.

Subcentimetric Incidental Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma in an Explant Liver: Diagnostic Difficulty of a Rare Entity

Incidental intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a rare neoplastic lesion in the explant liver specimens with an approximate incidence of 0.7%. The detection of iCCA is associated with poor prognosis in the posttransplant setting. The occurrence of a subcentimetric iCCA is very rare and poses a major diagnostic challenge to the pathologist. This article presents a rare case of subcentimetric iCCA in a young male in the background of advanced stage chronic liver disease resulting from autoimmune hepatitis possibly with chronic cholangiopathy along with the histomorphological differentials.

Hepatocholangiocarcinoma/intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: are they contraindication or indication for liver transplantation? A propensity score-matched analysis

BACKGROUND

Uncommon primary hepatic malignancies such as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and hepatocholangiocarcinoma (HCC-CC) were generally considered contraindications for liver transplantation(LT), and studies comparing the efficacy of LT and resection (LR) for ICC/HCC-CC were scarce.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the survival outcomes of ICC/HCC-CC patients treated by LT and LR in a propensity score-matched population.

METHOD

This is a retrospective study from 1995 to 2015. Consecutive patients with the pathological diagnosis of ICC or HCC-CC in the surgical specimens were included. All patients had either hepatectomy or LT with curative intent. Factors associated with survival were identified with multivariate analysis using cox-regression model. Propensity score-matched analysis was performed.

RESULT

There were 181 patients diagnosed to have ICC/HCC_CC. Nine patients received LT (all with incidental ICC/HCC-CC) and 172 received hepatectomy. The median follow-up period was 27.5 months. The median age was 60 years (range 3-86); Hepatitis B and C carrier status was found in 48.1 and 2.3% of the patients, respectively. The median tumor size was 6 cm and 71.3% of them had solitary tumor. Microvascular invasion was present in 47% of the patients. After propensity score matching, there were 54 (9 in LT and 45 in LR group) patients for analysis. Cox-regression analysis showed that early AJCC (7th) staging and LT were the independent factors associated with overall survival. Patients in the LT group had significantly better overall survival (5-year OS 77.8 vs 36.6%, log-rank p = 0.013).

CONCLUSION

ICC/HCC-CC are uncommon tumors with poor long-term oncological outcomes despite curative hepatectomy. Liver transplantation might be a better treatment option for patients with early ICC/HCC-CC.

Con: Liver transplantation for expanded criteria malignant diseases

Organ shortage requires policies and guidelines to aid organ allocation along the principles of urgency or utility. Identifying patients with significant benefit and withholding liver transplantation (LT) from patients too sick for transplantation are ongoing challenges, in particular in patients with malignancies. An arbitrary threshold of >50% 5-year overall survival (OS) is broadly considered a minimum standard for LT. In patients transplanted for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCC), this was only achieved in select cases and when the tumor had a diameter of <2 cm. In patients with extrahepatic and hilar cholangiocarcinoma (CCC), strict selection criteria and combined preoperative radiotherapy/chemotherapy according to the Mayo protocol showed that acceptable longterm results can be achieved in a single high-volume center but are difficult to repeat elsewhere. Furthermore, only rigorously selected patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) meeting the NET Milan criteria adopted by United Network for Organ Sharing can also have >50% 5-year OS. A prospective study in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer metastases in the liver has shown promising OS rates, but further prospective trials are warranted. Current evidence shows that none of the proposed expanded malignant criteria justify deviation of scarce donor organs to patients with hilar CCC, iCC > 2 cm, metastatic NET beyond NET Milan criteria, or metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) outside clinical trials. Liver Transplantation 24 104-111 2018 AASLD.

Impact of incidental/misdiagnosed intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma on the outcomes of liver transplantation: an institutional case series and literature review

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) or combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) is considered to be contraindications for liver transplantation (LT); however, recent studies have shown that the outcomes of LT in small incidental ICC/cHCC-CC tumors are comparable to those in HCC. Studies reporting the survival outcome of patient(s) undergoing LT and found to have incidental or misdiagnosed ICC and/or cHCC-CC in liver explants were reviewed. Our institutional data were also included in the review analysis. In this review, 21 studies reporting 19865 cases of liver transplantation were included. The incidence of misdiagnosed/incidental ICC/cHCC-CC in liver explants was found to be 0.7% (136/19636). Hepatitis B and C virus infection was reported in 19 and 47% of the cases, respectively. The recurrence rate after LT was 42%. The most common site for recurrence was extrahepatic (73%). The disease free survival rate at 3 years was reported to range 33-86%. The 3-year overall survival rate was reported be 22-70%. The outcome of LT in patients with incidental/misdiagnosed ICC/cHCC-CC was found to be poorer than that of matched patients with HCC in five studies; however, the outcome becomes equivalent to those of HCC in cases of small (<2 cm), well-differentiated ICC/cHCC-CC tumors without vascular invasion.

Living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma at the University of Tokyo Hospital

BACKGROUND

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is an established treatment not only for those with end-stage liver disease but for those with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) developing in cirrhotic liver. The aim of this study was to present a single-center experience of LDLT for HCC at the University of Tokyo Hospital, Japan.

METHODS

Among 573 liver transplant recipients from January 1996 until the end of 2015, 139 patients have been indicated LDLT for the treatment of HCC, and were the subjects of the present study. We use the expanded criteria for HCC as follows; the number of tumor should be five or less, and the maximum diameter of the tumor should be 5 cm or less, without the distant metastasis nor the vascular invasion (Tokyo criteria, 5-5 rule). We also focused on the identification of the incidental intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and combined hepatocellular carcinoma/cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) in liver explants.

RESULTS

The overall 1-, 5-, and 10-year recurrence-free and patient survival rates were 95%, 91%, and 91%, 91%, and 80%, 78%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative recurrence rate was 5%, 6%, and 6% for within Milan, 0%, 8%, and 8% for beyond Milan/within Tokyo, and 33%, 50%, and 50% for beyond Tokyo, respectively, demonstrating the significantly impaired outcome of those beyond Tokyo criteria (P<0.001). The high alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) value (≥400 ng/mL), the high des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) value (≥200 mAU/mL) and beyond the Tokyo criteria were proved to be significant predictors for the HCC recurrence, but the size or the type of the partial graft was not associated. Incidental ICC and cHCC-CC were found in one and two patients, respectively, with the size of less than 2 cm in all cases. ICC was not detected in preoperative evaluation but cHCC-CCs were misdiagnosed as HCC preoperatively. All three patients were alive without recurrence with a follow-up period of 2 to 14 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The present results of our institution seem acceptable in terms of the recurrence-free and patient survival. The issues of the expansion of indication, living donor vs. deceased donor for HCC, and liver transplantation (LT) for cholangiocarcinoma are still left to be investigated in future studies.

Intra-arterial yttrium-90 radioembolization combined with systemic chemotherapy is a promising method for downstaging unresectable huge intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma to surgical treatment

PURPOSE

To evaluate the downstaging efficacy of yttrium-90 radioembolization (Ytt-90)-associated with chemotherapy and the results of surgery for initially unresectable huge intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

METHODS

Between January 2008 and October 2013, unresectable ICC were treated with chemotherapy and Ytt-90. Patients with unique tumors localized to noncirrhotic livers and without extrahepatic metastasis were considered to be potentially resectable and were evaluated every 2 months for possible secondary resection.

RESULTS

Forty-five patients were treated for unresectable ICCs; ten had potentially resectable tumors, and eight underwent surgery. Initial unresectability was due to the involvement of the hepatic veins or portal vein of the future liver remnant in seven and one cases, respectively. Preoperative treatment induced significant decreases in tumor volume (295 vs. 168 ml, p = 0.02) and allowed for R0 resection in all cases. Three patients (37.5 %) had Clavien-Dindo grade three or higher complications, including two postoperative deaths. The median follow-ups were 15.6 [range 4-40.7] months after medical treatment initiation and 7.2 [0.13-36.4] months after surgery. At the end of the study period, five patients were still alive, with one patient still alive 40 months after medical treatment initiation (36.4 months after surgery); two patients experienced recurrences.

CONCLUSIONS

For initially unresectable huge ICCs, chemotherapy with Ytt-90 radioembolization is an effective downstaging method that allows for secondary resectability.