title: A randomized controlled trial of Licartin for preventing hepatoma recurrence after liver transplantation.
abstract: Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the only curative therapy of HCC with underlying cirrhosis, but due to HCC metastasis and recurrence, its benefit is limited to a small population who meet the strict selection criteria. We previously reported that Licartin ([131I] mAb HAb18G/CD147) was safe and effective in treating HCC patients, and its antigen, HAb18G/CD147, was closely related to HCC invasion and metastasis. Here, we reported a randomized controlled trial to assess the post-OLT antirecurrence efficacy of Licartin in advanced HCC patients. We randomized 60 post-OLT patients with HCC, who were at tumor stage 3/4 and outside the Milan criteria before OLT, into 2 groups. Three weeks after OLT, the treatment group received 15.4 MBq/kg of Licartin, while the control group received placebo intravenously for 3 times with an interval of 28 days. At 1-year follow-up, the recurrence rate significantly decreased by 30.4% (P = 0.0174) and the survival rate increased by 20.6% (P = 0.0289) in the treatment group, compared with those in the control group. For the control group versus the treatment group, the hazard ratio for recurrence was 3.60 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50-8.60) and that for death was 3.87 (95% CI, 1.23-12.21). Licartin treatment also resulted in an earlier decreased AFP level and a longer time of normal AFP level than placebo (P = 0.0016). No Licartin-related toxic effects were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Licartin is a promising drug for preventing post-OLT tumor recurrence in advanced HCC patients excluded by the currently strict criteria for OLT. HAb18G/CD147 can be a good drug target.
authors.affiliation: Cell Engineering Research Centre, Department of Cell Biology, State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhong-Yang
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Xin-Guo
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hui-Jie
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Hui-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Xiang-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.forename: Qing-Chuan
authors.initials: QC
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Si-He
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao-Ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhi-Nan
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051926:Basigin / Q000276:immunology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C497886:BSG protein, human; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; C511207:metuximab; D051926:Basigin