title: The influence of OKT3 therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence following liver transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer recurrence following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant obstacle in up to 10-20% of recipients. Recent evidence suggests that anti-CD3 antibody (OKT3) therapy may be associated with increased rates of HCC recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  At the University of Colorado Transplant Center, 173 patients underwent OLT for end-stage liver disease with concomitant HCC between 1997 and 2008. Nine clinical and pathologic variables were analyzed to test the association between OKT3 therapy for steroid-resistant rejection (SRR) and HCC recurrence-free survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the rate of HCC recurrence in this cohort was low and comparable across treatment groups (8.7%). Multivariate analysis reveals that increasing tumor diameter and differentiation have a negative impact on HCC recurrence-free survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While several pathologic variables appear to influence outcome, we found no association between OKT3 therapy for SRR and HCC recurrence or survival.
authors.affiliation: Division of Transplant Surgery, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Department of Anesthesia, Aurora, CO 800451, USA. michael.zimmerman@ucdenver.edu
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: Mara A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Campsen
authors.forename: M Susan
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Mandell
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wachs
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bak
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skibba
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lancaster
authors.forename: Igal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kam
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016853:Muromonab-CD3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016853:Muromonab-CD3