Posttransplant lymphoma--a single-center experience of 500 liver transplantations

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a serious complication after organ transplantation associated with a high mortality, and is often caused by a primary or reactivated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. The incidence of PTLD ranges from 1% to 10%, depending on the type of organ transplanted and the immunosuppressive regimens used.

In this retrospective study from a single center, 12 (2.4%) of 500 consecutive recipients of liver grafts developed lymphoma. Patient data were obtained by chart review. All diagnostic biopsies were reviewed by two hematopathologists.

The median time between transplantation and the diagnosis of lymphoma was 19.5 (1.5-148) mo. Nine of the patients had been treated with OKT-3 and/or ATG after the transplantation. Two patients had a pretransplant diagnosis of lymphoma. The PTLD was of high grade in all patients, and was associated with EBV in 6 of 9 examined cases. No relation with human herpesvirus-8 could be detected. In all patients, immunosuppression was reduced at the time of lymphoma diagnosis. Chemotherapy was used in all patients, mostly upfront but in one patient after lymphoma progression after reduction of immunosuppression. Nine patients also got antiviral therapy. Immunotherapy with the monoclonal antibody rituximab was used in one patient. Half of the patients are alive, in complete continuous remission, more than 4 yr after the lymphoma diagnosis. Two patients died of neutropenic sepsis, three of persistent lymphoma, and one of recurrent cirrhosis while in complete remission.

PTLD is a significant complication in liver-transplanted patients. Intensive chemotherapy can induce long-term remissions in a substantial number of patients. The role for monoclonal antibodies in this setting should be investigated further.