Multiple indications for everolimus after liver transplantation in current clinical practice

Effect of everolimus rescue therapy for acute cellular rejection following pediatric living donor liver transplantation: Report of one case

Acute cellular rejection (ACR) after pediatric living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is often curable with steroid pulse therapy, but a few pediatric patients show steroid-resistant ACR, which is difficult to control. We report the effect of everolimus as a rescue therapy for ACR in a case of pediatric LDLT. The patient was a 11-year-old girl who was admitted due to subacute liver failure of unknown cause. LDLT operation using a modified right liver graft from her mother was performed. The graft-recipient weight ratio was 1.30. The explant liver showed massive hepatic necrosis. The patient recovered uneventfully with immunosuppression using tacrolimus and low-dose steroid. However, at postoperative day (POD) 20, the liver enzyme levels began to increase. The first liver biopsy taken at POD 25 showed moderate ACR with rejection activity index (RAI) score of 7. At that time, steroid pulse therapy was performed, but the patient did not respond and the liver enzyme levels increased further. The second liver biopsy taken at POD 40 showed moderate ACR with RAI score of 7. At this time, everolimus was administered, and soon after that, liver enzyme levels had gradually improved. Currently, the patient is doing well for 44 months to date without any abnormal findings. The maintenance target trough concentrations were tacrolimus 5 ng/ml and everolimus 3 ng/ml. Our case demonstrated the effect of rescue therapy using everolimus for ACR following pediatric LDLT. Further studies are needed to assess the role of everolimus in pediatric liver transplant recipients suffering from ACR.

Recommendations of everolimus use in liver transplant

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, everolimus (EVL) and sirolimus are immunosuppressive agents with a minor nephrotoxic effect, limited to the development of proteinuria in some cases. The combination of EVL and low-dose tacrolimus has proven to be as safe and effective as standard therapy with tacrolimus for the prevention of acute cellular rejection. Early initiation of EVL-based immunosuppressive regimens with reduced exposure to calcineurin inhibitors has been shown to significantly improve renal function of LT recipients during induction and maintenance phases, with comparable efficacy and safety profiles. In patients with established kidney failure, initiating EVL may enable clinicians to reduce calcineurin inhibitors exposure, thereby contributing to the improved renal function of these patients. Although there is not sufficient evidence to recommend their use to prevent the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma and the progression of de novo tumours, they are used in this context in routine clinical practice.

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.

Selection and use of immunosuppressive therapies after liver transplantation: current German practice

In recent years, immunosuppression (IS) after liver transplantation (LT) has become increasingly diversified as the choice of agents has expanded and clinicians seek to optimize the balance of immunosuppressive potency with the risk of adverse events in individual patients. Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) are the primary agents used for patients undergoing liver transplantation. Other therapeutic agents like interleukin-2 receptor antagonists are not universally administered, but can be considered for the delay or reduction in CNI exposure. An early addition of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) or the mTOR inhibitor everolimus also allows for the reduction in the CNI dose. To reduce the risk of malignancy, in particular of skin tumors, as well as to prevent the deterioration of renal function, everolimus-based therapy may be advantageous. Apart from patients with autoimmune hepatitis, steroids are withdrawn within 3-6 months after transplantation. Overall, immunosuppression can only be standardized in a limited proportion of patients due to specific clinical requirements and risk factors. Future studies should attempt to refine accurate individualization of the immunosuppressive regimen in specific difficult-to-treat patient subpopulations.

Renal function improvement in liver transplant recipients after early everolimus conversion: A clinical practice cohort study in Spain

A national, multicenter, retrospective study was conducted to assess the results obtained for liver transplant recipients with conversion to everolimus in daily practice. The study included 477 recipients (481 transplantations). Indications for conversion to everolimus were renal dysfunction (32.6% of cases), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; 30.2%; prophylactic treatment for 68.9%), and de novo malignancy (29.7%). The median time from transplantation to conversion to everolimus was 68.7 months for de novo malignancy, 23.8 months for renal dysfunction, and 7.1 months for HCC and other indications. During the first year of treatment, mean everolimus trough levels were 5.4 (standard deviation [SD], 2.7) ng/mL and doses remained stable (1.5 mg/day) from the first month after conversion. An everolimus monotherapy regimen was followed by 28.5% of patients at 12 months. Patients with renal dysfunction showed a glomerular filtration rate (4-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease) increase of 10.9 mL (baseline mean, 45.8 [SD, 25.3] versus 57.6 [SD, 27.6] mL/minute/1.73 m(2) ) at 3 months after everolimus initiation (P < 0.001), and 6.8 mL at 12 months. Improvement in renal function was higher in patients with early conversion (<1 year). Adverse events were the primary reason for discontinuation in 11.2% of cases. The probability of survival at 3 years after conversion to everolimus was 83.0%, 71.1%, and 59.5% for the renal dysfunction, de novo malignancy, and HCC groups, respectively. Everolimus is a viable option for the treatment of renal dysfunction, and earlier conversion is associated with better recovery of renal function. Prospective studies are needed to confirm advantages in patients with malignancy.

mTOR inhibitor therapy: Does it prevent HCC recurrence after liver transplantation?

Prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after liver transplantation is a clinical priority. The importance of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in cell growth and survival makes it a logical target for antitumor strategies, as borne out by clinical data in various types of malignancy. A number of studies have indicated that the mTOR inhibitors everolimus and sirolimus suppress cell proliferation and tumor growth in animal models of HCC. Coadministration of an mTOR inhibitor could permit lower dosing of chemotherapeutic agents in HCC management, and trials in non-transplant HCC population are exploring combined used with various agents including sorafenib, the vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor bevacizumab and conventional agents. In terms of a preventive effect after liver transplantation for HCC, data from retrospective studies and non-randomized prospective analyses in which patients received an mTOR inhibitor with concomitant calcineurin inhibitor therapy have indicated that HCC recurrence rates and overall survival may be improved compared to a standard calcineurin inhibitor regimen. Meta-analyses have supported these findings, but controlled trials are required before any firm conclusions can be drawn. In two of the three randomized trials which have assessed de novo mTOR inhibitor therapy after liver transplantation, there was a numerically lower rate of HCC recurrence by one year post-transplant in patients given an mTOR inhibitor versus the control arm, but absolute numbers were low. Overall, based on the available data from retrospective studies, meta-analyses, and post-hoc assessments of randomized trials, it appears advisable to consider mTOR inhibition-based immunosuppression after transplantation for HCC, particularly in patients who exceed the Milan criteria. Prospective data are awaited.