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Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology

Published in:

01-10-2011 | Original Paper

An immune function assay predicts post-transplant recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Authors: Jian-Wen Cheng, Ying-Hong Shi, Jia Fan, Xiao-Wu Huang, Shuang-Jian Qiu, Yong-Sheng Xiao, Zheng Wang, Zhi Dai, Zhao-You Tang, Jian Zhou

Published in: Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology | Issue 10/2011

Abstract

Purpose

An immune function assay has been proposed as a new strategy to monitor immunosuppression after organ transplantation. However, there are limited data regarding its role in liver transplant recipients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we sought to determine the utility of this functional assay in assessing the risk of infection, rejection, and tumor recurrence in liver transplant recipients.

Methods

Immune function was determined by ImmuKnow assay that measures the amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) produced by CD4 (+) T cells to monitor the global immune status in 342 whole blood samples from 105 liver transplant recipients. The association between ATP value and post-transplant tumor recurrence was evaluated in 60 HCC patients. The ATP value in predicting tumor recurrence in other independent cohort of 92 recipients with HCC was analyzed prospectively.

Results

The mean ATP values of liver transplant recipients with infection (145.2 ± 87.0 ng/ml) or acute rejection (418.9 ± 169.5 ng/ml) were different from those with stable state (286.6 ± 143.9 ng/ml, P < 0.05). In recipients with HCC who developed recurrent tumors, the values were significantly lower than those without recurrence (137.8 ± 66.4 vs. 289 ± 133.9 ng/ml, P < 0.01); the optimal threshold value to predict post-transplant tumor recurrence was 175 ng/ml. Comparing with the patients in lower immune group (ATP ≤ 175 ng/ml), patients in the higher immune group (ATP > 175 ng/ml) experienced significantly better disease-free survival (P < 0.01). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed the ATP value was an independent predictor of HCC recurrence.

Conclusions

The immune function assay has the potential to assess the risk of infection and rejection in liver transplantation and to predict post-transplant tumor recurrence in recipients with HCC.

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Title: An immune function assay predicts post-transplant recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Jian-Wen Cheng
Ying-Hong Shi
Jia Fan
Xiao-Wu Huang
Shuang-Jian Qiu
Yong-Sheng Xiao
Zheng Wang
Zhi Dai
Zhao-You Tang
Jian Zhou
Publication date: 01-10-2011
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology / Issue 10/2011
Print ISSN: 0171-5216
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1335
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-011-1014-0

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Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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