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Fractional allelic imbalance could allow for the development of an equitable transplant selection policy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Author(s) -
Dvorchik Igor,
Schwartz Myron,
Fiel M. Isabel,
Finkelstein Sydney D.,
Marsh J. Wallis
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
liver transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.814
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1527-6473
pISSN - 1527-6465
DOI - 10.1002/lt.21393
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , medicine , liver transplantation , milan criteria , vascular invasion , concomitant , metastasis , allele , oncology , transplantation , pathology , cancer , gene , biochemistry , chemistry
Abstract Liver transplantation (LT) in the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a controversial issue because the current staging systems are not sufficiently predictive of outcomes. Paraffin blocks from 183 patients that underwent LT in the presence of HCC were collected. Molecular analysis was carried out blindly on the native liver specimens in all cases with respect to recurrence outcomes. The fractional allelic imbalance (FAI) rate index was determined in each case and was used to compare the acquired mutational load between different tumors. The FAI was determined from the microdissected tissue site displaying the greatest amount of acquired allelic loss. FAI was found to be the strongest predictor of recurrence followed by vascular invasion and then by tumor number or hepatic lobar involvement. Based on these findings, 3 prognostic models were constructed for selection of candidates for LT in patients with concomitant HCC. Molecular markers of tumor progression are the strongest predictors of HCC recurrence currently available, surpassing all components of the tumor‐node‐metastasis classification system for staging of malignant tumors (TNM), including vascular invasion. Incorporation of these molecular markers of tumor progression could help resolve the ongoing conundrum of organ allocation for patients with HCC. Liver Transpl 2007. © 2007 AASLD.