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Updated: May 10, 2025

A Three-Dimensional Spheroid Model to Investigate the Tumor-Stromal Interaction in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Published on: September 30, 2021
Outcomes and risk factors for liver transplantation using steatotic grafts for hepatocellular carcinoma: a
Kai Wang1, Libin Dong2, Xiaobo Wang3
1Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), School of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, China.
Introduction:
A growing number of steatotic grafts have been used in liver transplantation (LT), including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, the impact of steatotic grafts on the prognosis of HCC recipients remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the impact of steatotic graft in long-term prognosis for HCC recipients and development an algorithm for minimizing the risk of these grafts.
Materials And Methods:
The clinicopathologic data of HCC patients undergoing LT from 2003 to 2022 in the United Network for Organ Sharing database was analyzed. The disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of recipients were compared between non-steatotic (macrosteatosis <30 %) and steatotic (macrosteatosis ≥30 %) graft groups after propensity score matching (PSM). Interaction analysis was conducted to identify factors that amplified the negative impact of steatotic grafts on DFS.
Results:
A total of 8345 eligible HCC patients were included. Three factors exhibited significant interaction effect with steatotic grafts: cold ischemia time ≥6h (HR = 1.447; P = 0.023), donor body mass index ≥40 (HR = 1.771; P = 0.018) and recipient with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (HR = 1.632; P = 0.032). Hazard Associated with Macrosteatotic Liver (HAML) score was created based on these three factors. In HAML ≥1 cohort, the DFS and OS of steatotic graft group were significantly reduced compared to non-steatotic graft group. But in HAML = 0 cohort, no significant differences in DFS and OS were observed between the two groups.
Conclusions:
The risk of steatotic grafts in LT for HCC could be minimized through evaluating HAML score.

