A new study on the incidence of liver cancer after transplant found that high levels of the immunosuppressant cyclosporine favored tumor recurrence and identified blood levels of the drug that should not be exceeded. Lower levels of cyclosporine levels did not affect rejection rates.
The results of this study appear in the May 2005 issue of Liver Transplantation, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and the International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS). The journal is published on behalf of the societies by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and is available online via Wiley InterScience.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, a type of liver cancer) occurs frequently in patients with chronic liver disease who are listed for liver transplants. However, the immunosuppressants necessary to prevent rejection can accelerate tumor growth, and the incidence of tumor recurrence is high.
Because of this, strict selection criteria of patients with HCC has limited their access to transplants, yet the role of immunosuprressants in tumor growth has not been well established. In a previous study, the authors demonstrated a close relationship between the amount of cyclosporine and tumor recurrence in liver transplant patients.
The current study further examines this association and identifies possible strategies to avoid it.