COMIT-ANZ: an audit of cholangiocarcinoma and mixed hepatocellular carcinoma-cholangiocarcinoma outcomes for patients undergoing liver transplantation in Australia and New Zealand.

Abstract

Introduction: Recent ILTS guidance supports liver transplantation for patients with very small intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. This guidance was informed mainly by North American and European data. The applicability of these guidelines to the region of Australia and New Zealand is unknown.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed to measure clinical outcomes of liver transplantation in the ANZ region to ascertain the applicability of this new guidance to this region. Historic patients having undergone LT for known cholangiocarcinoma or incidentally detected cholangiocarcinoma or mixed type hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinomas on explant histology were identified via a national registry. Data was inputted from all transplant units within the ANZ region.

Results: We found that 64 patients had either knowingly or unknowingly been transplanted for cholangiocarcinoma or mixed type hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma in our region.

Discussion: Overall survival for patients with very small intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas was 80%, in line with the current international data. We also report 5-year overall survival for patients with incidentally detected mixed tumours on explant histology was 68%.