Pre-transplant alpha-fetoprotein is associated with post-transplant hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence mortality.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although liver transplantation may potentially cure hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the risk of HCC recurrence is 8%-20% at five years post-transplant. Pre-transplant alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a predictor of HCC recurrence, but it is unknown if pre-transplant AFP also predicts survival in patients with recurrence.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study using the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database between 2002 and 2016. We identified adult transplant recipients with HCC recurrence after liver transplantation for HCC and used Cox regression to compare patient survival among different maximum pre-transplant AFP levels.

Results

The cohort (N = 1164) was primarily male, white, and with hepatitis C liver disease. The median time to HCC r

SUBMITTER: Mahmud N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6635076 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature