Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Setting of Liver Transplantation: A Review

Zurabi Lominadze; Kareen Hill; Mohammed Rifat Shaik; Justin P Canakis; Mohammad Bourmaf; Cyrus Adams-Mardi; Ameer Abutaleb; Lopa Mishra; Kirti Shetty

doi:10.3390/ijms24032358

Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Setting of Liver Transplantation: A Review

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jan 25;24(3):2358. doi: 10.3390/ijms24032358.

Authors

Zurabi Lominadze¹, Kareen Hill², Mohammed Rifat Shaik³, Justin P Canakis⁴, Mohammad Bourmaf², Cyrus Adams-Mardi⁴, Ameer Abutaleb⁵, Lopa Mishra⁶, Kirti Shetty¹

Affiliations

¹ Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
² Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
³ Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
⁴ Department of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
⁵ Department of Surgery, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
⁶ Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA.

Abstract

The emerging field of immuno-oncology has brought exciting developments in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It has also raised urgent questions about the role of immunotherapy in the setting of liver transplantation, both before and after transplant. A growing body of evidence points to the safety and efficacy of immunotherapeutic agents as potential adjuncts for successful down-staging of advanced HCCs to allow successful transplant in carefully selected patients. For patients with recurrent HCC post-transplant, immunotherapy has a limited, yet growing role. In this review, we describe optimal regimens in the setting of liver transplantation.

Keywords: allograft rejection; hepatocellular carcinoma; immunotherapy; liver transplantation.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / pathology
Humans
Immunotherapy
Liver Neoplasms* / pathology
Liver Transplantation*

Grants and funding

This research was supported by NIAAA grant R01AA023146 (PI—L.M.), and NCI grants R01CA236591 (PI—L.M.) and U01CA230690 (PI—L.M., co-investigator—K.S.).