Immunotherapy before liver transplant linked to improved survival

A multicentre study involving 416 liver transplant recipients in China suggests that immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapy before transplantation may improve survival rates for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Researchers found that patients receiving ICI-based multimodal treatment before transplantation experienced significantly longer overall survival and recurrence-free survival compared to those receiving treatment without ICIs. However, the study noted that these benefits were accompanied by a higher incidence of acute transplant rejection, indicating a need to balance oncological success against transplant-related risks.

The study focused on adults with HCC who initially exceeded the Milan criteria, requiring downstaging treatment before transplantation.