Impact of pretransplantation transarterial chemoembolization on survival and recurrence after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.
The actual impact of transarterial chemoembolization before liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on patient survival and HCC recurrence is not known. Between 1985 and 1998, 479 patients with HCC in 14 French centers were evaluated for LT. Among these 479 patients, this case-control study included 100 patients who received transarterial chemoembolization before LT (TACE group) and 100 control patients who did not receive chemoembolization (no-TACE group). Patients and controls were matched for the pre-LT tumor characteristics, the period of transplantation, the time spent on the waiting list, and pre- and posttransplantation treatments. Kaplan-Meier estimates were calculated 5 years after LT and were compared with the log-rank test. The mean waiting time before LT was 4.2 +/- 3.2 months in the TACE group and 4.3 +/- 4.4 months in the no-TACE group. The median number of TACE procedures was 1 (range: 1-12). Demographic data, median alpha-fetoprotein level (21.6 ng/mL and 22.0 ng/mL, respectively), and pre- and post-LT morphologic characteristics of the tumors did not differ in the TACE and no-TACE groups. Overall 5-year survival was 59.4% with TACE and 59.3% without TACE (ns). Survival rates did not differ significantly between the two groups with respect to the time on the waiting list, the tumor diameter, or the type of TACE (selective or nonselective). In the TACE group, 30 patients had tumor necrosis > or =80% on the liver explant with a 5-year survival rate of 63.2%, compared with 54.2% among their matched controls (P = 0.9). In conclusion, with a mean waiting period of 4.2 months and 1 TACE procedure, pre-LT TACE does not influence post-LT overall survival and disease-free survival.
Decaens
Thomas
T
Service d'Hépatologie et de Gastroentérologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.|Institut Cochin, Inserm U567, Paris, France.
Roudot-Thoraval
Françoise
F
Département de Santé Publique, AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.
Bresson-Hadni
Solange
S
Service d'Hépatologie, Hôpital Jean Minjoz, Besançon, France.
Meyer
Carole
C
Service de Transplantation, Hôpital Hautefeuille, Strasbourg, France.
Gugenheim
Jean
J
Service de Chirurgie Digestive, Hôpital L'Archet 2, Nice, France.
Durand
Francois
F
Service d'Hépatologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Beaujon, Clichy, France.
Bernard
Pierre-Henri
PH
Service d'Hépatologie et de Gastroentérologie, Hôpital Pellegrin, Bordeaux, France.
Boillot
Olivier
O
Service de Chirurgie Digestive, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Lyon, France.
Boudjema
Karim
K
Département de Chirurgie Viscérale, Hôpital Ponchaillou, Rennes, France.
Calmus
Yvon
Y
Service de Chirurgie Digestive, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France.
Hardwigsen
Jean
J
Service de Chirurgie Digestive, Hôpital la Conception, Marseille, France.
Ducerf
Christian
C
Service de Chirurgie Digestive, Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Lyon, France.
Pageaux
Georges Philippe
GP
Fédération Médico-Chirurgicale des Maladies de l'Appareil Digestif, Hôpital Saint-Eloi, Montpellier, France.
Dharancy
Sebastien
S
Service d'Hépatologie et de Gastroentérologie, Hôpital Claude Huriez, Lille, France.
Chazouilleres
Olivier
O
Service d'Hépatologie, AP-HP, Hôpital St Antoine, Paris, France.
Dhumeaux
Daniel
D
Service d'Hépatologie et de Gastroentérologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.
Cherqui
Daniel
D
Service de Chirurgie Générale et Digestive, AP-HP, Hopital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.
Duvoux
Christophe
C
Service d'Hépatologie et de Gastroentérologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.|Inserm U581, Créteil, France.
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D009336:Necrosis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011300:Preoperative Care; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014850:Waiting Lists