Korean J Transplant.  2022 Nov;36(Supple 1):S152. 10.4285/ATW2022.F-2717.

Antiplatelet drugs on the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation

• Kim DG
• Choi MC
• Min EK
• Lee JG
• Joo DJ
• Kim MS

• KMID: 2535668
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4285/ATW2022.F-2717

Abstract

Background
Previous studies reported suppressive effects of antiplatelet agents on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, this has never been assessed in patients who underwent liver transplantation (LT).
Methods
This retrospective observational study used data from LT recipients with pretransplant HCC in a single tertiary hospital. The study population was divided into two groups according to the use of antiplatelet agents for >90 days within the study period (377 antiplatelet group vs. 91 non-antiplatelet group). Matched groups containing 79 patients in each group were also compared regarding HCC-recurrence and HCC-related mortality, which were analyzed by treating non-HCC death as a competing risk.
Results
In Kaplan-Meier analysis of the matched cohort, the 5-year cumulative incidences of HCC recurrence and HCC-specific death were similar between the antiplatelet (P=0.876) and non-antiplatelet groups (P=0.701). All-cause and non-HCC deaths were also similar between the two groups (P=0.867 and P=0.413, respectively). In multivariable analysis of the entire cohort, antiplate-let use was not associated with HCC recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 1.37; P=0.300) or HCC-specific death (HR, 1.54; P=0.310).
Conclusions
Unlike usual setting with liver disease, antiplatelet therapy did not affect HCC recurrence or HCC-specific mortality when used after LT.