Long-term Outcomes of Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients With Cirrhosis

Changcun Guo; Guanya Guo; Xia Zhou; Yu Chen; Zheyi Han; Caifeng Yang; Shimin Zhao; Hongling Su; Zhexiong Lian; Patrick S C Leung; M Eric Gershwin; Xinmin Zhou; Ying Han

doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2018.10.034

Long-term Outcomes of Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients With Cirrhosis

Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019 May;17(6):1175-1182.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2018.10.034. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China; National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.
² Institute of Life Sciences, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
³ Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Davis, California.
⁴ Department of Gastroenterology, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China; National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xi'an, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: hanying@fmmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 30613001
DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2018.10.034

Abstract

Background & aims: Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) mobilized with colony-stimulating factor can promote liver regeneration and increase liver function in patients with liver diseases. However, the long-term effects of stem cell treatments on survival and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis have not been determined. We investigated the long-term effects of autologous stem cell transplantation and risk of HCC in patients with cirrhosis.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 2 cohorts of patients with decompensated cirrhosis who received transplantations of autologous PBSCs (n = 282) or standard medical treatment (SMT, n = 286) in China from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2016. Patients were followed up until death or liver transplantation. Mortality data were obtained by case records and confirmed by telephone calls. Survival time was calculated and HCC was confirmed by computed tomography or ultrasound. We used propensity score matching to adjust the differences between the 2 groups. Survival and incidence of HCC were analyzed and Cox proportional hazard regression was used to determine the prognostic factors.

Results: After propensity score matching, time of survival was significantly higher in the PBSC group than the SMT group (P = .001). The adjusted rate of 5-year survival was 71.2% in the PBSC group and 52.1% in the SMT group. The overall incidence of HCC did not differ significantly between the PBSC and SMT groups (21.1% vs 20.4%; P = .999). Significant improvement of liver functions was observed at 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and 5 years after PBSC transplantation compared with the SMT group.

Conclusions: In a long-term analysis of patients with decompensated cirrhosis, autologous transplants of PBSCs significantly improved long-term survival compared with a control group. PBSC transplant did not appear to increase the risk of HCC.

Keywords: Cancer; Liver Regeneration; Retrospective Study; Stem Cell Therapy.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

China / epidemiology
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Incidence
Liver Cirrhosis / diagnosis
Liver Cirrhosis / epidemiology
Liver Cirrhosis / therapy*
Liver Regeneration / physiology*
Male
Middle Aged
Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation / methods*
Propensity Score*
Retrospective Studies
Survival Rate / trends
Time Factors
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Transplantation, Autologous
Treatment Outcome