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Updated: Apr 17, 2026
A Hepatocellular Cancer Patient-Derived Organoid Xenograft Model to Investigate Impact of Liver Regeneration on Tumor Growth
Published on: February 2, 2024
Monitoring serial CD4⁺ T-cell function after liver transplantation can be used to predict hepatocellular carcinoma
B D Confer1, M Choudhary2, R Lopez3
1Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, United States.
Background:
After liver transplant (LT), the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence is partially dependent on the degree of immunosuppression. We aimed to determine whether assessing net state of CD4(+) T-cell function after LT could determine those at risk for HCC recurrence.
Methods:
One hundred thirty-seven patients with cirrhosis who underwent LT for HCC were followed for recurrence of HCC. All patients had serial CD4(+) assay performed prospectively. Cox regression analysis was used to assess factors associated with HCC recurrence. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to assess the association between CD4(+) ATP values and hazard of HCC recurrence.
Results:
The mean follow-up time was 3.1 ± 1.5 years, during which 14 patients (10%) had HCC recurrence. Patients with combined post-LT CD4(+) T-cell function area under curve (AUC) <675 had 6.9 (95% CI 2.0-22.0) times greater hazard of HCC recurrence than those with CD4(+) T-cell function AUC ≥675 (P < .001). Less immunosuppression (ATP AUC ≥675) in those beyond Milan conferred a similar risk of recurrence as patients transplanted within Milan (P = .064).
Conclusion:
Lower cumulative CD4(+) T-cell function post-LT predicted a higher risk of HCC recurrence. These findings may have implications toward management of HCC patients after LT.
