Hepatocellular carcinoma tumour burden score to stratify prognosis after resection.

BACKGROUND: Although the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system has been largely adopted in clinical practice, recent studies have emphasized the need for further refinement and subclassification of this system. METHODS: Patients who underwent hepatectomy with curative intent for BCLC-0, -A or -B hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) between 2000 and 2017 were identified using a multi-institutional database. The tumour burden score (TBS) was calculated, and overall survival (OS) was examined in relation to TBS and BCLC stage. RESULTS: Among 1053 patients, 63 (6·0 per cent) had BCLC-0, 826 (78·4 per cent) BCLC-A and 164 (15·6 per cent) had BCLC-B HCC. OS worsened incrementally with higher TBS (5-year OS 77·9, 61 and 39 per cent for low, medium and high TBS respectively; P < 0·001). No differences in OS were noted among patients with similar TBS, irrespective of BCLC stage (61·6 versus 58·9 per cent for BCLC-A/medium TBS versus BCLC-B/medium TBS, P = 0·930; 45 versus 13 per cent for BCLC-A/high TBS versus BCLC-B/high TBS, P = 0·175). Patients with BCLC-B HCC and a medium TBS had better OS than those with BCLC-A disease and a high TBS (58·9 versus 45 per cent; P = 0·005). On multivariable analysis, TBS remained associated with OS among patients with BCLC-A (medium TBS: hazard ratio (HR) 2·07, 95 per cent c.i. 1·42 to 3·02, P < 0·001; high TBS: HR 4·05, 2·40 to 6·82, P < 0·001) and BCLC-B (high TBS: HR 3·85, 2·03 to 7·30; P < 0·001) HCC. TBS could also stratify prognosis among patients in an external validation cohort (5-year OS 79, 51·2 and 28 per cent for low, medium and high TBS respectively; P = 0·010). CONCLUSION: The prognosis of patients with HCC varied according to the BCLC stage but was largely dependent on the TBS.

ANTECEDENTES: Aunque el sistema de estadificación del Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) ha sido adoptado en gran medida en la práctica clínica, estudios recientes han enfatizado la necesidad de un mayor refinamiento y subclasificación del sistema BCLC. MÉTODOS: Los pacientes con carcinoma hepatocelular (hepatocellular cancer, HCC) BCLC-0, A y B que se sometieron a una hepatectomía con intención curativa entre 2000 y 2017 fueron identificados utilizando una base de datos multi-institucional. Se calculó la puntuación de carga tumoral (tumour burden score, TBS) y se examinó la supervivencia global (overall survival, OS) en relación con la TBS y los estadios BCLC. RESULTADOS: En la serie de 1.053 pacientes, 63 (6%) tenían HCC BCLC-0, 826 (78,4%) HCC BCLC-A y 164 (15,6%) HCC BCLC-B. La OS disminuyó de forma incremental en función de la mayor TBS (OS a 5 años; TBS baja: 77,9% versus TBS media: 61% versus TBS alta: 39%, P < 0,001). No se observaron diferencias en la OS entre pacientes con una puntuación TBS similar, independientemente del estadio BCLC (BCLC-A/TBS media: 61,6% versus BCLC-B/TBS media: 58,9%, P = 0,93; BCLC-A/TBS alta: 45,1% versus BCLC-B/TBS alta: 12,8%, P = 0,175). Los pacientes con BCLC-B/TBS media tuvieron una mejor OS que los pacientes con BCLC-A/TBS alta (58,9% versus 45,1%, P = 0,005). En el análisis multivariable, la TBS se mantuvo asociada a la OS en el caso de BCLC-A (TBS media: cociente de riesgos instantáneos, hazard ratio, HR = 2,07, i.c. del 95%: 1,42-3,02, P < 0,001; TBS alta: HR = 4,05, i.c. del 95%: 2,40-6,82, P < 0,001) y BCLC-B pacientes (TBS alta: HR = 3,85, i.c. del 95%: 2,03-7,30, P < 0,001). La TBS también pudo estratificar el pronóstico entre pacientes en una cohorte de validación externa (OS a 5 años; TBS baja: 78,7% versus TBS media: 51,2% versus TBS alta: 27,6%, P = 0,01). CONCLUSIÓN: El pronóstico de los pacientes con HCC varió según el estadio BCLC, pero dependió en gran medida de la TBS.

Split liver transplantation using Hemiliver graft in the MELD era: a single center experience in the United States.

Under the "sickest first" Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) allocation, livers amenable to splitting are most often allocated to patients unsuitable for split liver transplantation (SLT). Our experience with SLT using hemilivers was reviewed. From April 2004 to June 2012, we used 25 lobar grafts (10 left lobes and 15 right lobes) for adult-sized recipients. Twelve recipients were transplanted with primary offers, and 13 were transplanted with leftover grafts. Six grafts were shared with other centers. The data were compared with matched whole liver grafts (n = 121). In 92% of donors, the livers were split in situ. Hemiliver recipients with severe portal hypertension had a greater graft-to-recipient weight ratio than those without severe portal hypertension (1.96% vs. 1.40%, p < 0.05). Hemiliver recipients experienced biliary complications more frequently (32.0% vs. 10.7%, p = 0.01); however, the 5-year graft survival for hemilivers was comparable to whole livers (80.0% vs. 81.5%, p = 0.43). The secondary recipients with leftover grafts did not have increased incidences of graft failure (p = 0.99) or surgical complications (p = 0.43) compared to the primary recipients. In conclusion, while routine application is still controversial due to various challenges, hemiliver SLT can achieve excellent outcomes under the MELD allocation.

Use of tissue plasminogen activator in liver transplantation from donation after cardiac death donors.

Ischemic-type biliary stricture (ITBS) occurs in up to 50% after liver transplantation (LT) from donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors. Thrombus formation in the peribiliary microcirculation is a postulated mechanism. The aim was to describe our experience of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) administration in DCD-LT. TPA was injected into the donor hepatic artery on the backtable (n = 22). Two recipients developed ITBS including one graft failure. Although excessive postreperfusion bleeding was seen in 14 recipients, the amount of TPA was comparable between those with and without excessive bleeding (6.4 ± 2.8 vs. 6.6 ± 2.8 mg, p = 0.78). However, donor age (41 ± 12 vs. 29 ± 9 years, p = 0.02), donor BMI (26.3 ± 5.5 vs. 21.7 ± 3.6 kg/m(2) , p = 0.03), previous laparotomy (50% vs. 0%, p = 0.02) and lactate after portal reperfusion (6.3 ± 4.6 vs. 2.8 ± 0.9 mmol/L, p = 0.005) were significantly greater in recipients with excessive bleeding. In conclusion, the use of TPA may lower the risk of ITBS-related graft failure in DCD-LT. Excessive bleeding may be related to poor graft quality and previous laparotomy rather than the amount of TPA. Further studies are needed in larger population.