The safety and efficacy of atezolizumab for recurrent primary liver cancer after liver transplantation

Rong-Rong Yao; Quan-Bao Zhang; Meng-Xi Ge; Li Li; Jing Li; Xin-Li Zhou; Zheng-Xin Wang; Xiao-Hua Liang

doi:10.1007/s12672-025-02299-4

The safety and efficacy of atezolizumab for recurrent primary liver cancer after liver transplantation

Discov Oncol. 2025 Apr 17;16(1):553. doi: 10.1007/s12672-025-02299-4.

Authors

Rong-Rong Yao^#¹, Quan-Bao Zhang^#^{2

3}, Meng-Xi Ge¹, Li Li^{2

3}, Jing Li¹, Xin-Li Zhou¹, Zheng-Xin Wang^{4

5}, Xiao-Hua Liang⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oncology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Urumqi Road(M), Shanghai, 200040, China.
² Liver Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Urumqi Road(M), Shanghai, 200040, China.
³ Institute of Organ Transplantation, Fudan University, 12 Urumqi Road(M), Shanghai, 200040, China.
⁴ Liver Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Urumqi Road(M), Shanghai, 200040, China. wangzhengxin@huashan.org.cn.
⁵ Institute of Organ Transplantation, Fudan University, 12 Urumqi Road(M), Shanghai, 200040, China. wangzhengxin@huashan.org.cn.
⁶ Department of Oncology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Urumqi Road(M), Shanghai, 200040, China. xhliang66@sina.com.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been proved to have certain therapeutic effects for primary liver cancer. However, the efficacy and safety of their applications in liver transplantation (LT) recipients with recurrent tumor remained unclear and even controversial.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of atezolizumab in LT recipients with recurrent PLC from August 1, 2019, to July 1, 2022. The primary endpoint was the incidence of allograft rejection, while secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Additionally, risk factors associated with ICI-related rejection were analyzed.

Results: A total of eight LT recipients with recurrent PLC were included in the study, comprising six cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and two cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). The median number of atezolizumab treatment cycles was 3 (range, 1-10). Graft rejection occurred in 25% of patients (2/8). The median overall survival (mOS) from the initiation of atezolizumab was 6.2 months (range, 0.7-12.5 months), with a mortality rate of 75% (6/8). The ORR (complete response [CR] + partial response [PR]) was 28.5% (2/7), and the disease control rate (DCR; CR + PR + stable disease [SD]) was 42.9% (3/7). Time from LT to recurrence (P = 0.008) and Interval time from LT to atezolizumab (P = 0.005) were associated with liver rejection.

Conclusions: Atezolizumab demonstrated a certain degree of efficacy as a salvage treatment for patients with recurrent HCC and ICC after LT. However, given the potential risk of allograft rejection, careful evaluation of safety is essential before initiating ICI therapy. Moreover, close monitoring and timely intervention are necessary during treatment to mitigate the risk of rejection. Future studies should further explore the optimal timing and strategies for ICI administration in this patient population.

Keywords: Graft rejection; Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI); Liver transplantation (LT); Primary liver cancer; Recurrence.

Abstract

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