Prognostic value of detecting circulating tumor cells before liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华器官移植杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the application value of detecting circulating tumor cells (CTC) before liver transplantation for predicting the recurrence and survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:From October 2015 to October 2019, 62 HCC patients at Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital were collected and analyzed by Cyttel method before liver transplantation. CTC was determined by X-tile software and Kaplan-Meier method for determining the optimal cutoff value of CTC before liver transplantation and the relationship between CTC and clinical factors was analyzed. Univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses were performed for determining the independent risk factors affecting the prognosis. Kaplan Meier method was employed for describing the survival curve of tumor-free survival and overall survival after transplantation.Results:The optimal preoperative critical value of CTC was 3.2 ml. CTC ≥3/3.2 mL was set as CTC positive group while CTC <3/3.2 mL CTC negative group. The positive/negative CTC before transplantation was significantly correlated with preoperative Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP) level, maximal tumor diameter, lymph node metastasis, liver transplantation criteria and degree of differentiation ( P<0.05). Univariate and multivariate COX regression models indicated that the number of preoperative CTC (HR: 1.262, 95%CI: 1.069-1.489, P=0.006) and microvascular invasion (HR: 2.657, 95%CI: 1.120-6.305, P=0.027) were independent risk factors for tumor-free survival after transplantation while microvascular invasion (HR: 3.738, 95%CI: 1.219-11.459, P=0.027) was the sole independent risk factor affecting the overall survival of HCC after transplantation. Statistically significant difference existed between preoperative CTC positive/negative and tumor recurrence or metastasis (no recurrence, intrahepatic recurrence, and distant metastasis)( χ2=7.790, P=0.020). The disease-free survival rates of 1/2/3-year CTC-negative/positive patients were 82.90%, 68.70%, 58.90% and 49.00%, 29.40%, 22.10%; the 1/2/3-year overall survival rates of preoperative CTC-negative/positive patients were 85.50%, 77.10%, 69.79% and 64.90%, 47.20%, 40.50% respectively. The disease-free survival curve of CTC-negative patients was significantly higher than that of CTC-positive counterparts ( P<0.001) and the overall survival curve of CTC-negative patients was significantly higher than that of CTC-positive counterparts ( P<0.005). Conclusions:Preoperative CTC detection has certain application value in evaluating the prognosis of liver cancer after liver transplantation, which has important clinical significance and application prospects.