HIV Has No Impact on Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

HealthDay News — HIV infection has no impact on prognosis of liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), according to a study published online in Hepatology.

Fernando Agüero, MD, from the University of Barcelona in Spain, and colleagues examined the outcome of a prospective Spanish nationwide cohort of HIV-infected patients undergoing LT for HCC. Patients were matched for age, gender, year of LT, center, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus infection in a 1:3 ratio with non-HIV-infected controls. Data were included for 74 HIV-infected patients and 222 non-HIV-infected controls.

The researchers found that survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was not significantly different for HIV-infected versus non-infected patients (88% vs 90%, 78% vs 78%, and 67% vs 73%, respectively; P = 0.779). In the whole series, independent correlations were seen for HCV infection and maximum nodule diameter >3 cm in the explanted liver with mortality (HR 7.90 and 1.72, respectively). HCC recurrence occurred in 16% of HIV-infected patients and 14% of non-HIV infected patients, with probabilities of 4% vs 5%, 18% vs 12%, and 20% vs 19% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively (P = 0.904). The only factor independently associated with HCC recurrence was microscopic vascular invasion (HR 3.40).

“Our results support the indication of LT in HIV-infected patients with HCC,” the authors write.

Reference

1. Agüero F, Forner A, Manzardo C et al. HIV Infection Does Not Worsen Prognosis of Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Hepatology. 2015; doi: 10.1002/hep.28321.