Evidence mapPaperPMID 42421575Full record

ArticleWorld journal of surgery2026

Association of Pre-Transplant Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy With Tumor Response and Survival in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A 10-Year Retrospective Cohort Study of 427 Patients.

Lexuan Xu, Zixuan Zhao, Zichen Wang, Zhen Zhao, Fan Mu, Chenghao Zhou, Zirui Ye, Xin Zhang, Yimeng Wang, Ting Lan and 11 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in World journal of surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07418138 (Efficacy and Safety of Pre-Transplant Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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.

NCT07418138 completednot on this map

Efficacy and Safety of Pre-Transplant Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation

TypeobservationalSponsorHu LiangshuoRan2015 to 2024Enrolled484ConditionsLiver Transplantation, Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, Survival RateArmsMedication history
3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Lexuan XuDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1928-8506
Zixuan ZhaoDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
Zichen WangDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6940-173X
Zhen ZhaoDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Fan MuDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Chenghao ZhouDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Zirui YeDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Xin ZhangDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Yimeng WangDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Ting LanState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Image Reading Center, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Wenbin CaoLaboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China.
Yanru ZhangLaboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China.
Jia QiLaboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China.
Yiting HouLaboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China.
JianHua ShiDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Jianwen LuDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Min TianDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Yi LvDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3636-6664
Pengxiang QuLaboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7858-9124
Liangshuo HuDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8288-592X
Bo WangDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) awaiting liver transplantation remain at risk of tumor progression during the waiting period, highlighting the need for effective bridging or downstaging strategies. Although tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are widely used in advanced HCC, their role in the pre-transplant setting remains unclear. This study evaluated the association of pre-transplant TKI therapy with survival, tumor response, and safety in HCC patients undergoing liver transplantation.

methodsWe retrospectively analyzed 427 patients with HCC who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) between January 2015 and December 2024. Two separate propensity score matching (PSM) analyses were performed to compare outcomes between patients with and without pre-transplant TKI therapy, and to evaluate the additional association of TKIs among patients receiving transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Tumor response and safety were also assessed.

resultsAfter PSM, 160 matched patients were included in the primary analysis. Pre-transplant TKI therapy was associated with longer RFS (log-rank p < 0.05) and lower recurrence rates (p = 0.007), greater pathological tumor necrosis (p < 0.001), and higher radiological response rates (all p < 0.05). Higher 5- and 10-year OS and RFS rates were also observed in the TKIs group (all p < 0.05). On multivariable analysis, pre-transplant TKI therapy remained associated with lower recurrence risk but not OS. Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested that these associations were more evident in patients beyond conventional transplant criteria. Among 120 matched patients receiving TACE, combined TACE and TKI therapy was associated with better survival and tumor response (all p < 0.05). Palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia occurred more frequently in the TKIs group (p = 0.035), whereas major perioperative complications were comparable between groups, although ICU stay was slightly longer in the TKIs group (p = 0.034).

conclusionsPre-transplant TKI therapy, particularly when combined with TACE, was associated with better tumor response and favorable long-term outcomes without an apparent increase in major perioperative risk. These associations appeared more evident in patients beyond conventional transplant criteria. Prospective studies are needed to further validate these findings.

trial registrationThis study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (registry number NCT07418138).

Indexed as

Carcinoma, HepatocellularLiver NeoplasmsLiver TransplantationProtein Kinase InhibitorsAgedBridge TherapyChemoembolization, TherapeuticFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPropensity ScoreRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeTyrosine Kinase InhibitorsProtein Kinase InhibitorsTyrosine Kinase Inhibitorshepatocellular carcinomaorthotopic liver transplantsurvivaltransarterial chemoembolizationtumor responsetyrosine kinase inhibitors

Identifiers

PMID42421575
PMCPMC13460867

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Registered trials

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 Socratic graph.