Blood indices and circulating tumor cells for predicting metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation

Abstract

Liver transplantation (LT) can benefit the long-term survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. We hypothesized that circulating tumor cell (CTC) levels and subtypes are intimately associated with metastasis status of HCC patients. This study was designed to test that compositive hematological indices including CTC can provide a prediction of post-LT metastasis.

Keywords

• α-fetoprotein (afp)
• circulating tumor cell
• hepatocellular carcinoma
• liver transplantation
• pivka-ii