Lecture 42: Liver Transplant and Hepatocellular carcinoma Flashcards

1
Q

What are the indications for transplant?

A
  1. HCV
  2. HBC
  3. Alcohol
  4. Cholestatic
  5. Cryptogenic/NASH
  6. Variceal bleed
  7. ascites
  8. hepatorenal syndrome
  9. Hepatic encephalopathy/dysfunction
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2
Q

What is Status 1A?

A

People who would die in 7 days if they don’t get a liver transplant
Acute Wilson’s disease or fulminant liver failure (from acetaminophen overdose)

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3
Q

Why is MELD better than CTP prediction of mortality?

A
More objective (3 lab tests)
Also 35 different scores for MELD vs. 3 for CTP
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4
Q

What are mechanisms for cases that are exceptions to MELD?

A

Regional Review Boards review these cases to determine if an exception should be made

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5
Q

What is a liver transplant?

A

4 hook ups (aka 4 anastomoses)

Donor recipient hook up of bile duct, portal vein, hepatic artery, hepatic vein

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6
Q

What are the two most common types of cholestatic disease?

A
  1. PBC

2. PSC

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7
Q

What helps determine survival after transplant?

A

The MELD score

MELD score can also help predict net benefit of transplant

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8
Q

What are the 3 most common indications for liver transplant?

A
  1. HCV
  2. Alcohol
  3. Cholestatic liver disease
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9
Q

What are the mechanisms that allow one to bypass the MELD score?

A

. MELD exception points are used to account for situations when the MELD does not adequately predict likelihood of death on the waiting list

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10
Q

Is there a survival difference between living donor and deceased donor liver transplant?

A

Living Donor transplant is associated with similar survival as deceased donor liver transplant

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11
Q

What are exceptions for MELD?

A
  1. HCC
  2. Hepatopulmonary syndrome
  3. Hilar cholangiocarcinoma
  4. CF
  5. FAP
  6. Primary hyperoxaluria
  7. Portopulmonary Syndrome
    These diseases are causing shit outside of liver
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12
Q

What % of patients will die awaiting liver transplant?

A

10-20%

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13
Q

What is a liver donor liver transplant?

A

Transplanting only a PART of the liver from a living donor

Complications are minor, but much higher than kidney so they need to make sure the person is not being paid…

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14
Q

What are the characteristics of HCC?

A

Most common type of primary liver cancer

80-90% occur in cirrhosis (from HBV and HCV)

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15
Q

What are risk factors for HCC?

A
  1. cirrhosis (use ultrasound to screen)
  2. HBV
  3. Aflatoxin B1 (mycotoxin of aspergillus species)
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16
Q

What is the significance of Aflatoxin B1?

A

A mycotoxin of aspergillus species
Causes mutation in p53 tumor suppressor gene
Risk factor for HCC
Aflatoxin + HBV is dramatically increased risk for HCC

17
Q

How do you make diagnosis of HCC?

A

Usualy asymptomatic until too late
Need to screen with Ultrasound
Also can make a diagnosis based on BLOOD FLOW

18
Q

How can you use blood flow to diagnose HCC?

A

Normal liver will get blood from portal vein AND hepatic artery
Tumors, however, will get 100% of their blood flow from hepatic artery
Seeing “delayed wash out” in MRI will be diagnostic of HCC

19
Q

What is death caused by in HCC?

A

Death is caused by liver failure and NOT metastasis

20
Q

What are the nonsurgical therapies for HCC?

A
Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE)…shooting chemo through hepatic artery
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)…cooking the tumor
21
Q

What chemotherapy is used for HCC?

A

Sorafenib

Blocks VEGF to halt the tumor growth

22
Q

What is the MoA of Sorafenib?

A

Targets VEGF and prevents HCC growth

23
Q

What is the significance of hemodynamic difference between HCC and surrounding liver?

A

Differences in hemodynamics (blood flow) between HCC and surrounding liver allow for

1. Diagnosis WITHOUT biopsy (CT or MRI)	
2. Selective treatment (TACE)
24
Q

What is best shot of long term cure for HCC?

A

Best shot at a long term cure for HCC is with liver transplant