Jenna N Whitrock, Catherine G Pratt, Shimul A Shah
{"title":"Expanding MELD exceptions for colorectal liver metastasis: data and policy.","authors":"Jenna N Whitrock, Catherine G Pratt, Shimul A Shah","doi":"10.1097/MOT.0000000000001142","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>While liver transplant for unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM) has been demonstrated to be a promising treatment in selected patients, the typically low MELD score of these patients and lack of exception points may lead to challenges in receiving a deceased donor liver for transplant.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Several studies have shown improved outcomes in select patients with CRLM who undergo liver transplant, and several trials are ongoing and will conclude in the next several years. MELD exception points have recently been proposed in qualifying patients with CRLM to help this group obtain more timely quality allografts. Under the current proposal, patients with CRLM would receive a score of the median MELD at transplant (MMaT) for their center minus 20 with a minimum score of 15 in cases where MMaT minus 20 would be less than 15. This would allow them to receive transplants faster without competing unnecessarily with those with greater medical need.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Giving MELD exception points to patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases in need of transplant may decrease time on the waitlist and improve outcomes for these patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":10900,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1097/MOT.0000000000001142","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/3/14 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"TRANSPLANTATION","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose of review: While liver transplant for unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM) has been demonstrated to be a promising treatment in selected patients, the typically low MELD score of these patients and lack of exception points may lead to challenges in receiving a deceased donor liver for transplant.
Recent findings: Several studies have shown improved outcomes in select patients with CRLM who undergo liver transplant, and several trials are ongoing and will conclude in the next several years. MELD exception points have recently been proposed in qualifying patients with CRLM to help this group obtain more timely quality allografts. Under the current proposal, patients with CRLM would receive a score of the median MELD at transplant (MMaT) for their center minus 20 with a minimum score of 15 in cases where MMaT minus 20 would be less than 15. This would allow them to receive transplants faster without competing unnecessarily with those with greater medical need.
Summary: Giving MELD exception points to patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases in need of transplant may decrease time on the waitlist and improve outcomes for these patients.
期刊介绍:
Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation is an indispensable resource featuring key, up-to-date and important advances in the field from around the world. Led by renowned guest editors for each section, every bimonthly issue of Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation delivers a fresh insight into topics such as stem cell transplantation, immunosuppression, tolerance induction and organ preservation and procurement. With 18 sections in total, the journal provides a convenient and thorough review of the field and will be of interest to researchers, surgeons and other healthcare professionals alike.