The clinical analysis of de novo malignant tumors after liver transplantation: report of four cases / 中华器官移植杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics, risk factors, prevention, and treatments of de novo malignant tumors after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Methods The clinical data of 4 patients with de novo malignant tumors out of the 726 patients undergoing OLT from October 2003 to December 2008 were analyzed. Results The morbidity of de novo malignant tumors after OLT was 0.6 % (4/726), and all of them were men. The 4 de novo malignant tumors were respectively diagnosed as acute myeloid leukaemia, gastric carcinoma, lung cancer, undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver. The age of patients during OLT was 42-57 years (mean 52 years). The age of patients' onset was 45-60 years (mean 53 years). The length was 6-38 months from liver transplantation to diagnosis of de novo malignant tumors (mean 31 months). All of the 4 patients died of tumor progression and multiple organ failure. The survival time was 12-48 months after OLT (mean 39.5 months), and that was 6-10 months after diagnosis of de novo malignant tumors (mean 8.5 months). Conclusion The incidence of de novo malignant tumors after OLT in China is lower than in abroad. The delayed diagnosis time is a main cause of death for patients with de novo malignant tumors after OLT. To think highly of precancerous lesions and high risk of factors, early diagnosis, and early treatment are the keys to improve the survival time.