Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38993841›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in transplantation2023

Case report: Predictability of clinical response and rejection risk after immune checkpoint inhibition in liver transplantation.

Jordi Yang Zhou, Dominik Eder, Florian Weber, Philipp Heumann, Katharina Kronenberg, Jens M Werner, Edward K Geissler, Hans J Schlitt, James A Hutchinson, Florian Bitterer

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in transplantation, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Jordi Yang ZhouDepartment of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Dominik EderDepartment of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Florian WeberInstitute for Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Philipp HeumannDepartment for Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Katharina KronenbergDepartment of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Jens M WernerDepartment of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Edward K GeisslerDepartment of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Hans J SchlittDepartment of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
James A HutchinsonDepartment of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Florian BittererDepartment of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The approval of Atezolizumab / Bevacizumab therapy (Atezo/Bev) in 2020 opened up a promising new treatment option for patients with end-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, liver transplant (LTx) patients with HCC are still denied this therapy owing to concerns about ICI-induced organ rejection and lack of regulatory approval. Methods: A prospective observational study at a tertiary liver transplant centre monitored the compassionate, off-label use of Atezo/Bev in a single, stable LTx recipient with non-resectable HCC recurrence. Close clinical, laboratory and immunological monitoring of the patient was performed throughout a four-cycle Atezo/Bev treatment. Measured parameters were selected after a systematic review of the literature on predictive markers for clinical response and risk of graft rejection caused by ICI therapy. Results: 19 articles describing 20 unique predictive biomarkers were identified. The most promising negative prognostic factors were the baseline values and dynamic course of IL-6, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and the AFP/CRP ratio. The frequency of regulatory T cells (Treg) reportedly correlates with the success of ICI therapy. PD-L1 and CD28 expression level with the allograft, peripheral blood CD4 Conclusion: Atezo/Bev therapy for unresectable HCC in stable LTx patients remains a controversial strategy because it carries a high-risk of rejection and therapeutic response rates are poorly defined. Although previously described biomarkers of rejection risk and therapeutic response agreed with clinical outcomes in the described case, these immunological parameters are difficult to reliably interpret. Clearly, there is an important unmet need for standardized assays and clinically validated cut-offs before we use these biomarkers to guide treatment decisions for our patients.

Indexed as

biomarkerclinical responsehepatocellular carcinomaimmune checkpoint inhibitionimmune monitoringliver transplantationrejection risk

Identifiers

PMID38993841
PMCPMC11235248

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.