Impact of Locoregional Treatment and Waiting Times in Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma, The
Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Meeting: 2013 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: A711
AIM: To study the impact of locoregional treatment and waiting time before liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
METHODS: A retrospective review of 104 HCC patients undergoing liver transplantation from 2005 and 2011. Time-to-event analysis was used to summarize oncological outcomes in terms of HCC recurrence and HCC-specific mortality. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to evaluate the effects of locoregional treatment, waiting time, transplant eras, Milan criteria and other potential risk factors on each outcome. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses of outcome at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years were evaluated.
RESULTS: Neither waiting time nor locoregional treatment was independently associated with outcomes. Pathology results showed 24 out of 104 patients (23.1%) out of Milan criteria at the time of transplant. Pretransplant alphafetoprotein (AFP) level greater than 10 ng/dL statistically increased the risk of HCC recurrence (Relative Risk [RR] 1.01, p 0.033) and HCC-specific mortality (RR 1.02, p 0.01). HCC-specific mortality was statistically lower in the early era (RR 0.14, p 0.046). Patients with tumors outside Milan criteria at transplant had statistically similar outcomes for HCC recurrence (RR 1.41, p 0.651) and HCC-specific mortality (RR 1.19, p 0.85).
CONCLUSION: The current score system used to allocate livers for transplantation in HCC patients has no deleterious effect on cancer outcomes despite increased waiting time and locoregional treatment. Although complete longer term outcomes are not available, 5 year results indicate that progression beyond Milan criteria at transplant was unrelated to oncological outcomes with increased waiting time.
| HCC Recurrence (RR) | HCC Recurrence (p value) | HCC Specific Mortality (RR) | HCC Specific Mortality (p value) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waiting Time | ||||
| < 62 days | 1.00 | * | 1.00 | * |
| 62 – 154 days | 0.88 | 0.860 | 0.43 | 0.447 |
| 155 – 237 days | 0.20 | 0.218 | 0.21 | 0.239 |
| >237 days | 0.58 | 0.565 | 0.55 | 0.537 |
| Locoregional treatment | 0.796 | 0.753 | 1.73 | 0.634 |
| Transplant Era | ||||
| 2008 to 2011 | 1.00 | * | 1.00 | * |
| 2005 to 2007 | 0.31 | 0.098 | 0.14 | 0.046 |
| Milan Criteria ( within vs outside ) | 0.71 | 0.651 | 0.84 | 0.850 |
| Etiology ( non-HCV vs HCV ) | * | * | 0.22 | 0.055 |
| Deceased vs Living Donor | 0.20 | 0.014 | * | * |
| MELD (> 16) | * | * | 0.84 | 0.072 |
| Pretransplant AFP(>10ng/dl) | 1.01 | 0.033 | 1.02 | 0.010 |
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Lohlun J, Mahawithitwong P, Radosevich D, Chinnakotla S, Pruett T. Impact of Locoregional Treatment and Waiting Times in Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma, The [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2013; 13 (suppl 5). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/impact-of-locoregional-treatment-and-waiting-times-in-patients-undergoing-liver-transplantation-for-hepatocellular-carcinoma-the/. Accessed July 6, 2025.« Back to 2013 American Transplant Congress