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Mehta N, Kelley RK, Yao FY. Refining the approach to down-staging of HCC prior to liver transplantation: Patient selection, loco-regional treatments, and systemic therapies. Hepatology 2024; 80:238-253. [PMID: 37183865 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Neil Mehta
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - R Katie Kelley
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Francis Y Yao
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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Yilma M, Mehta N. Optimal Liver Transplantation Criteria for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2024; 33:133-142. [PMID: 37945139 DOI: 10.1016/j.soc.2023.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Liver transplantation continues to be the optimal treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Given the limited organ supply, patient selection for liver transplant must carefully balance tumor progression with risk of recurrence posttransplant. There are several pretransplant selection criteria that incorporate biomarkers as well as imaging modality to risk-stratify patients as we continue to look for the optimal transplant cutoff for patients with HCC, which should be transplant-center specific, and account for organ availability and dynamic response to locoregional therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mignote Yilma
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, S-321, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; National Clinician Scholars Program, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, S-321, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. https://twitter.com/mignoteyilmaMD
| | - Neil Mehta
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, Connie Frank Transplant Center, 400 Parnassus Avenue 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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Singal AG, Llovet JM, Yarchoan M, Mehta N, Heimbach JK, Dawson LA, Jou JH, Kulik LM, Agopian VG, Marrero JA, Mendiratta-Lala M, Brown DB, Rilling WS, Goyal L, Wei AC, Taddei TH. AASLD Practice Guidance on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology 2023; 78:1922-1965. [PMID: 37199193 PMCID: PMC10663390 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 283] [Impact Index Per Article: 283.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Amit G. Singal
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Josep M. Llovet
- Liver Cancer Program, Division of Liver Diseases, Tisch Cancer Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Translational Research in Hepatic Oncology, Liver Unit, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Mark Yarchoan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Neil Mehta
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Laura A. Dawson
- Radiation Medicine Program/University Health Network, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Janice H. Jou
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Laura M. Kulik
- Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Vatche G. Agopian
- The Dumont–University of California, Los Angeles, Transplant Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jorge A. Marrero
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mishal Mendiratta-Lala
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Daniel B. Brown
- Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - William S. Rilling
- Division of Interventional Radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Lipika Goyal
- Department of Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Alice C. Wei
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Tamar H. Taddei
- Department of Medicine (Digestive Diseases), Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
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Natarajan B, Tabrizian P, Hoteit M, Frenette C, Parikh N, Ghaziani T, Dhanasekaran R, Guy J, Shui A, Florman S, Yao FY, Mehta N. Downstaging hepatocellular carcinoma before liver transplantation: A multicenter analysis of the "all-comers" protocol in the Multicenter Evaluation of Reduction in Tumor Size before Liver Transplantation (MERITS-LT) consortium. Am J Transplant 2023; 23:1771-1780. [PMID: 37532179 PMCID: PMC10998692 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajt.2023.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma meeting united network for organ sharing (UNOS)-downstaging (DS) criteria have excellent liver transplantation (LT) outcomes after DS. However, outcomes for "all-comers" (AC) patients with tumors initially exceeding UNOS-DS are poorly understood. Patients meeting AC (n = 82) or UNOS-DS (n = 229) at 7 LT centers in 4 UNOS regions were prospectively followed from 2015-2020. AC patients had a lower probability of successful DS (67% vs 83% within 12 months; P < .001). The 3-year survival was 69% for UNOS-DS vs 58% for AC (P = .05) and reduced to 30% in patients with Child-Pugh B/C cirrhosis or alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥ 500. Five-year LT probability was 42% for AC vs 74% in UNOS-DS (P = .10). Thirty-eight percent were understaged on explant, with the increasing sum of the largest tumor diameter plus the number of lesions before LT (odds ratio 1.3; P = .01) and AFP ≥ 20 (odds ratio 5.9; P = .005) associated with understaging. Post-LT 3-year survival was 91% for AC vs 81% for UNOS-DS (P = .67). In this first prospective multiregional study of AC patients from the multicenter evaluation of reduction in tumor size before liver transplantation (MERITS-LT) consortium, we observed a 65% probability of successful DS. Three-year survival in AC was nearly 60%, though AC with Child-Pugh B/C or AFP ≥ 500 had poor survival. Explant pathology and 3-year post-LT outcomes were similar between cohorts, suggesting that LT is a reasonable goal in selected AC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brahma Natarajan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Parissa Tabrizian
- Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Maarouf Hoteit
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Catherine Frenette
- Center for Organ and Cell Transplantation, Scripps Green Hospital, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Neehar Parikh
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Tara Ghaziani
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Renu Dhanasekaran
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Jennifer Guy
- Department of Transplantation, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Amy Shui
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sander Florman
- Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Francis Y Yao
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Neil Mehta
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
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Tran NH, Muñoz S, Thompson S, Hallemeier CL, Bruix J. Hepatocellular carcinoma downstaging for liver transplantation in the era of systemic combined therapy with anti-VEGF/TKI and immunotherapy. Hepatology 2022; 76:1203-1218. [PMID: 35765265 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma remains a global health challenge affecting close to 1 million cases yearly. Liver transplantation provides the best long-term outcomes for those meeting strict criteria. Efforts have been made to expand these criteria, whereas others have attempted downstaging approaches. Although locoregional approaches to downstaging are appealing and have demonstrated efficacy, limitations and challenges exists including poor imaging modality to assess response and appropriate endpoints along the process. Recent advances in systemic treatments including immune checkpoint inhibitors alone or in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors have prompted the discussion regarding their role for downstaging disease prior to transplantation. Here, we provide a review of prior locoregional approaches for downstaging, new systemic agents and their role for downstaging, and finally, key and critical considerations of the assessment, endpoints, and optimal designs in clinical trials to address this key question.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen H Tran
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sergio Muñoz
- BCLC Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBEREHD, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Scott Thompson
- Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Christopher L Hallemeier
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jordi Bruix
- BCLC Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBEREHD, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Chuang P, Lu S. Sequential treatment after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for patients with single large hepatocellular carcinoma. ADVANCES IN DIGESTIVE MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/aid2.13337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Po‐Heng Chuang
- Center for Digestive Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine China Medical University Hospital Taichung Taiwan
| | - Sheng‐Nan Lu
- Division of Hepato‐Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung Taiwan
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Mehta N, Frenette C, Tabrizian P, Hoteit M, Guy J, Parikh N, Ghaziani TT, Dhanasekaran R, Dodge JL, Natarajan B, Holzner ML, Frankul L, Chan W, Fobar A, Florman S, Yao FY. Downstaging Outcomes for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Results From the Multicenter Evaluation of Reduction in Tumor Size before Liver Transplantation (MERITS-LT) Consortium. Gastroenterology 2021; 161:1502-1512. [PMID: 34331914 PMCID: PMC8545832 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) has adopted uniform criteria for downstaging (UNOS-DS) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before liver transplantation (LT), but the downstaging success rate and intention-to-treat outcomes across broad geographic regions are unknown. METHODS In this first multiregional study (7 centers, 4 UNOS regions), 209 consecutive patients with HCC undergoing downstaging based on UNOS-DS criteria were prospectively evaluated from 2016 to 2019. RESULTS Probability of successful downstaging to Milan criteria and dropout at 2 years from the initial downstaging procedure was 87.7% and 37.3%, respectively. Pretreatment with lectin-reactive α-fetoprotein ≥10% (hazard ratio, 3.7; P = .02) was associated with increased dropout risk. When chemoembolization (n = 132) and yttrium-90 radioembolization (n = 62) were compared as the initial downstaging treatment, there were no differences in Modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors response, probability of or time to successful downstaging, waiting list dropout, or LT. Probability of LT at 3 years was 46.6% after a median of 17.2 months. In the explant, 17.5% had vascular invasion, and 42.8% exceeded Milan criteria (understaging). The only factor associated with understaging was the sum of the number of lesions plus largest tumor diameter on the last pre-LT imaging, and the odds of understaging increased by 35% per 1-unit increase in this sum. Post-LT survival at 2 years was 95%, and HCC recurrence occurred in 7.9%. CONCLUSION In this first prospective multiregional study based on UNOS-DS criteria, we observed a successful downstaging rate of >80% and similar efficacy of chemoembolization and yttrium-90 radioembolization as the initial downstaging treatment. A high rate of tumor understaging was observed despite excellent 2-year post-LT survival of 95%. Additional LRT to reduce viable tumor burden may reduce tumor understaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Mehta
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California.
| | | | - Parissa Tabrizian
- Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
| | - Maarouf Hoteit
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jennifer Guy
- Department of Transplantation, California Pacific Medical Center
| | - Neehar Parikh
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - T. Tara Ghaziani
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
| | - Renu Dhanasekaran
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
| | - Jennifer L. Dodge
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Brahma Natarajan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Matthew L. Holzner
- Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
| | - Leana Frankul
- Center for Organ and Cell Transplantation, Scripps Green Hospital
| | - Wesley Chan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Austin Fobar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Sander Florman
- Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
| | - Francis Y. Yao
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco,Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco
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