Alpha-Fetoprotein Slope >7.5 ng/mL per Month Predicts Microvascular Invasion and Tumor Recurrence After Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
2018; Wolters Kluwer; Volume: 102; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1097/tp.0000000000002094
ISSN1534-6080
AutoresJeanne‐Marie Giard, Neil Mehta, Jennifer L. Dodge, John P. Roberts, Francis Y. Yao,
Tópico(s)Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
ResumoRising alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a potential marker of worse prognosis after liver transplant (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but prior studies relied on only 2 data points and were imprecise in assessing AFP slope. The aim of this study was to examine the association between AFP slope and post-LT HCC recurrence, with AFP slope estimated from multiple data points over time.Our cohort included 336 patients undergoing LT with Model for End Stage Liver Disease exception for HCC within Milan criteria from 2003 to 2013. Most (98%) had pre-LT locoregional therapy. AFP slope was estimated by fitting a regression line to the AFP levels over time.The 1- and 5-year post-LT survivals were 94% and 77% and 1- and 5-year recurrence-free probabilities were 95% and 86%, respectively. In univariate analysis, HCC recurrence was significantly associated with microvascular invasion (hazard ratio [HR], 13.1; P<0.001), tumor grade (HR, 1.8; P Milan criteria (HR, 8.9; P<0.001), 3 tumor nodules (HR, 5.5; P=0.002), AFP slope greater than 7.5 ng/mL per month (HR, 3.9; P=0.005), and female sex (HR, 2.3; P=0.01). In multivariable analysis of factors known before LT, 3 tumor nodules (HR, 7.6; P 7.5 (HR, 3.0; P=0.03) were significantly associated with HCC recurrence. AFP slope greater than 7.5 was also associated with microvascular invasion (odds ratio, 6.8; P=0.008).AFP slope increasing greater than 7.5 ng/mL per month despite locoregional therapy is associated with post-LT HCC recurrence and may serve as a surrogate for microvascular invasion. These findings support incorporating changes in the AFP into candidate selection for LT.
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