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Liver Transplantation Versus Liver Resection for Stage I and II Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Results of an Instrumental Variable Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

This study aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of liver transplantation (LT) and liver resection (LR) among patients with stage I and II hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

SEER 18 registry from 2004 to 2015 was retrieved for this study. We included 1,765 and 1,746 cases with stage I-II (AJCC, 7^th) HCC in the multivariable analyses and instrumental variable (IV) analyses, respectively. Propensity score matching (PSM) was further carried out to ensure comparability. Propensity score to receive LT was adjusted by stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and standardized mortality ratio weighting (SMRW) methods. In addition, IV analysis was performed to adjust both measured and unmeasured confounding factors.

Results

We identified 1,000 (56.7%) and 765 (43.3%) patients treated with LR and LT, respectively. In the multivariable adjusted cohort, after adjusting potential confounders, patients undergoing LT offered significant prognostic advantages over LR in overall survival (OS, P < 0.001) and disease-free survival (DSS, P < 0.001). The instrument variable in this study is LT rates in various Health Service Areas (HSAs). Results from the IV analysis showed that cases treated with LT had significantly longer OS (P = 0.001) and DSS (P < 0.001). In IV analysis stratified by clinicopathologic variables, the treatment effect of LT vs. LR in OS was consistent across all subgroups. Regarding DSS in IV analyses, the subgroup analyses observed that LT had better DSS across all subgroups, except for similar results in the older patients (interaction P value = 0.039) and the non-White patients (interaction P value = 0.041). In the propensity-matched cohort, patients with LT still had better OS (P < 0.001) and DSS (P < 0.001) in comparison to cases who underwent LR. In both IPTW and SMRW cohorts, patients who underwent LT had better OS (both P values < 0.001) and DSS (both P values < 0.001).

Conclusions

LT provided a survival benefit for cases with stage I-II HCC. These results indicated that if LT rate was to increase in the future, average long-term survival may also increase. However, for some special populations such as the elderly patients, owing to the similar outcomes between LT and LR, the selection of LT should be cautious.

SUBMITTER: Li W

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8189150 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ObjectivesTo assess survival after liver resection and transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) beyond Milan criteria.BackgroundThe role of liver resection and transplantation remains controversial for patients with HCC beyond Milan criteria. Resection of advanced tumors and transplantation using extended-criteria are pursued at select high-volume center.MethodsPatients from 5 liver cancer centers in the United States who had liver resection or transplantation for HCC beyond Milan criteria between 1990 and 2011 were included in the study. Multivariable and propensity-matching analyses estimated the effects of clinical factors and operative selection on survival.ResultsOf 608 patients beyond Milan without vascular invasion, 480 (79%) patients underwent resection and 128 (21%) underwent transplantation. Clinicopathologic profiles between resection and transplant patients differed significantly. Hepatitis C and cirrhosis were more prevalent in transplantation group (P < 0.001). Resection patients had larger tumors [median 9 cm, interquartile range (IQR): 6.5-12.9 cm vs. median 4.1, IQR: 3.4-5.3 cm, P < 0.001]; transplant patients were more likely to have multiple tumors (78% vs 28%, P < 0.001).Overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were both greater after tumor downstaging and transplantation than resection (all P < 0.001). OS did not differ between liver transplant recipients who were not pretreated or pretreated and failed to downstage compared with propensity-matched liver resection patients (P ≥ 0.176); DFS in this propensity matched cohort was greater after liver transplantation (P ≤ 0.017).ConclusionsLiver resection and transplantation provide curative options for patients with HCC beyond Milan criteria. Further treatment strategies aimed at the efficiency and durability of tumor downstaging and expansion of the role of transplantation among suitable candidates could improve outcomes in patients with large or multifocal HCC.