Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a proposal for including preoperative serological indicators improves the Milan criteria expanded

Abstract

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the predictive effect of preoperative serological indicators on long-term overall survival (OS) and tumor recurrence-free survival (TFS) of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver transplantation (LT), and to explore its significance for expanding the Milan criteria. Methods: Clinical data of 253 patients after LT in HCC were collected retrospectively. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to calculate the best cut-off value. χ2 test was used to analyze the correlation between preoperative serological indicators and tumor pathological features. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the risk factors affecting the OS and TFS rates and the predictive values of different LT criteria were compared. Nomogram model was used to predict the OS and TFS rates of patients exceeding Milan criteria. Results: Independent risk factors for poor OS and TFS rates were alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) >200 ng/mL, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) >80 IU/l, total tumor diameter (TTD) >8 cm and microsatellite lesions. Nomogram model showed patients beyond Milan criteria had better survival when AFP ≤200 ng/mL and GGT ≤80 IU/l or AFP ≤200 ng/mL, GGT ≤80 IU/l and TTD ≤8 cm. According to Milan criteria, AFP, GGT and DDT, Milan-AFP-GGT-TTD (M-AGT) criteria was established. There was no significant difference in OS and TFS rates among patients in M-AGT, Milan, Hangzhou, Malaya and UCSF criteria. Conclusions: Preoperative serological indicators AFP and GGT can effectively predict long-term OS and TFS in HCC patients after LT. Establishing M-AGT criteria based on serological indicators is helpful to supplement the Milan criteria.