Low CD8+ Density Variation and R1 Surgical Margin as Independent Predictors of Early Post-Resection Recurrence in HCC Patients Meeting Milan Criteria

Autor: Rokas Stulpinas, Ieva Jakiunaite, Agne Sidabraite, Allan Rasmusson, Dovile Zilenaite-Petrulaitiene, Kestutis Strupas, Arvydas Laurinavicius, Aiste Gulla
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Current Oncology, Vol 31, Iss 9, Pp 5344-5353 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1718-7729
1198-0052
DOI: 10.3390/curroncol31090394
Popis: Our study included 41 patients fulfilling the Milan criteria preoperatively and aimed to identify individuals at high risk of post-resection HCC relapse, which occurred in 18 out of 41 patients (43.9%), retrospectively. We analyzed whole slide images of CD8 immunohistochemistry with automated segmentation of tissue classes and detection of CD8+ lymphocytes. The image analysis outputs were subsampled using a hexagonal grid-based method to assess spatial distribution of CD8+ lymphocytes with regards to the epithelial edges. The CD8+ lymphocyte density indicators, along with clinical, radiological, post-surgical and pathological variables, were tested to predict HCC relapse. Low standard deviation of CD8+ density along the tumor edge and R1 resection emerged as independent predictors of shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS). In particular, patients presenting with both adverse predictors exhibited 100% risk of relapse within 200 days. Our results highlight the potential utility of integrating CD8+ density variability and surgical margin to identify a high relapse-risk group among Milan criteria-fulfilling HCC patients. Validation in cohorts with core biopsy could provide CD8+ distribution data preoperatively and guide preoperative decisions, potentially prioritizing liver transplantation for patients at risk of incomplete resection (R1) and thereby improving overall treatment outcomes significantly.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
Externí odkaz:
Nepřihlášeným uživatelům se plný text nezobrazuje