Outcome of Living-Donor Liver Transplant for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: 15-Year Single-Center Experience in Egypt.

OBJECTIVES: Liver transplant performed for hepatocellular carcinoma must adhere to criteria for the size and number of focal hepatic lesions to lower the incidence of recurrence and achieve survival rates comparable to patients transplanted for other indications. Since the Milan criteria were established in 1996, there have been many less restrictive criteria yielding similar results. Our aim was to identify the prognostic factors for patient survival and for recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma for patients within and beyond the Milan criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective and prospective analysis was conducted in 60 adult patients who underwent right lobe living-donor liver transplant for cirrhosis complicated by hepatocellular carcinoma at Dar Al Fouad Hospital, 6th of October City, Egypt, between August 2001 and June 2012. The median follow-up was 39.5 months. RESULTS: Overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 98.3%, 93.5%, and 71.4%. Overall disease-free survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 96.6%, 93.5%, and 64.2%. There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival time between patients within and beyond the Milan criteria. Factors affecting recurrence were the tumor grade, lobar distribution, size of the largest nodule, and the total tumor burden in the explanted liver. Recurrence adversely affected survival. CONCLUSIONS: Using our criteria of a single tumor ≤ 6 cm, or 2 to 3 tumors with the largest ≤ 4.5 cm, or 4 to 5 tumors with the largest ≤ 3 cm and total tumor size ≤ 8 cm resulted in overall survival comparable to patients within the Milan criteria.

HLA tissue typing has no effect on the outcome of patients undergoing a living-donor liver transplant: a single-center experience in Egypt.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effect of human leukocyte antigen tissue typing on outcome of live-donor liver transplant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty recipients underwent live-donor liver transplant in the Dar Al-Fouad Hospital in Egypt and were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were classified into 2 groups: those with human leukocyte antigen +ve, and those with human leukocyte antigen -ve and donors. Hepatitis C virus-related end-stage liver disease was the main indication for transplant. Demographic data, preoperative laboratory data, results of human leukocyte antigen tissue typing, Child score, model for end-stage liver disease score, graft/recipient weight-ratio, ischemia times, surgical complications, postoperative laboratory data, liver biopsy, immunosuppression, and pulse steroids were collected. Graft and patient survivals were studied using Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: The mean model end-stage liver disease score was 18 ± 3.61 in group 1 and 17.73 ± 3.72 in group 2, with no significant difference. Graft/recipient weight ratio, ischemia times, and postoperative complications showed P = NS. Cyclosporine and tacrolimus were used in 5/9, 8/41, and 4/9 in group 1, and 32/41 in group 2 (P = NS). Rejection and pulse steroids were reported in 3/9 and 12/41 of group 1, and 3/12 and 11/41 of group 2 (P = NS). Hepatitis C virus-recurrence was diagnosed in 5/9 of patients (55%) and 8/41 of patients (29.5%) in groups 1 and 2 (P < .05). No statistical difference was found regarding mortality; 5-year patient and graft survival was 35/50 (70% in group 1 [human leukocyte antigen +ve]), 7/9 (77.8%), and 28/41 in group 2 (68.3%) (human leukocyte antigen -ve). CONCLUSIONS: Positive human leukocyte antigen typing before live-donor liver transplant has no effect on the incidence of postoperative complications, rejection episodes, and patient or graft survival. Recipients with positive human leukocyte antigen typing may have increased risk of hepatitis C virus-recurrence after live-donor liver transplant.

Recurrence of hepatitis C virus (genotype 4) infection after living-donor liver transplant in Egyptian patients.

OBJECTIVES: The recurrence of hepatitis C virus infection after liver transplant is common and may endanger both graft and patient survival. We investigated the frequency and outcome of and risk factors for the recurrence of that virus after living-donor liver transplant in hepatitis C virus positive recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-four adult hepatitis C virus positive subjects were monitored for 36 months after living-donor liver transplant and demographic and laboratory data for the recipients and donors were evaluated. Recurrent hepatitis C virus infection was diagnosed on the basis of viral replication revealed by polymerase chain reaction after transplant, elevated levels of transaminases, and the results of liver biopsy. RESULTS: Hepatitis C virus recurrence was identified in 31.1% of the patients studied. Histopathologic recurrence was mild, and 91% of the subjects had a fibrosis score of < or = F2. No recipient exhibited cirrhosis or clinical decompensation during followup. Recurrent hepatitis C virus infection was associated with pretransplant and posttransplant viral load and antibody positive to hepatitis B core antigen. No other risk factors (sex, donor or recipient age, pretransplant Child-Pugh or Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores, immunosuppressive drug therapy, and treatment with pulse steroids) were significantly correlated with the frequency of hepatitis C virus recurrence, the grade of the histologic activity index, or the stage of fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: In living-donor liver transplant recipients, patient and graft survival rates associated with hepatitis C virus (genotype 4) related cirrhosis were comparable to those in deceased-donor liver transplant recipients reported in the literature. Recurrent infection with hepatitic C virus after living-donor liver transplant was mild. After transplant, a higher viral load and the presence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen could be risk factors for hepatitis C virus recurrence. Long-term follow-up in a large number of patients is required.