HELP-2020: Heterogeneity and Evolution of hepatoceLlular Carcinoma in Post-transplant HCC Recurrence

Sponsor
RenJi Hospital (Other)
Overall Status
Recruiting
CT.gov ID
NCT04506398
Collaborator
(none)
40
1
22.7
1.8

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

Objective of Study: This study will evaluate the heterogeneity and evolution pathway between primary HCC and tumor relapse after liver transplant.

According to the "Seed-Soil" theory, the primary hypothesis of this study is that HCC patients with different molecular-subtype experience altered different pattern of post-transplant recurrence, thus may have altered postoperative Recurrence-Free Survival (RFS). Because the donors' liver construct different microenvironment for CTC(circulating tumor cells) colonization. The investigators design this translational study to ①explore potential high recurrent risk HCC molecular-subtypes which might benefit from neoadjuvant systematic therapy or early adjuvant systematic therapy;②identify the molecular subtype heterogeneity of primary and recurrent HCC to guide the precision medicine.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase
  • Procedure: liver transplant
  • Diagnostic Test: ctDNA
  • Diagnostic Test: whole exome sequencing

Detailed Description

40 specimens will be obtained from the primary tumor during liver transplant surgery and biopsy/specimens from intrahepatic tumor or lung metastasis when the patients experience postoperative relapse. The molecular-subtype of HCC will be determined via whole exom sequence(WES), immunohistochemistry(IHC) and RNA-Seq.

Study Design

Study Type:
Observational
Anticipated Enrollment :
40 participants
Observational Model:
Cohort
Time Perspective:
Other
Official Title:
Translational Study of Molecular-subtype Heterogeneity and Evolution Pattern in Patients With hepatoceLlular Carcinoma Post-transplant Relapse - HELP 2020 Cohort Study
Actual Study Start Date :
Sep 10, 2020
Anticipated Primary Completion Date :
Aug 1, 2021
Anticipated Study Completion Date :
Aug 1, 2022

Arms and Interventions

Arm Intervention/Treatment
Retrospective cohort

20 HCC patients experienced post-transplant HCC

Procedure: liver transplant
Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma has the potential to eliminate both the tumor as well as the underlying cirrhosis and is the ideal treatment for HCC in cirrhotic liver as well as massive HCC in noncirrhotic liver.

Diagnostic Test: whole exome sequencing
xome sequencing analysis of liver tumors could reveal mutational signatures associated with specific risk factors of recurrence.

Perspective cohort

20 HCC patients who underwent liver transplant, the patients would be recruited if recurrence would be diagnosed >6 months after liver transplant

Procedure: liver transplant
Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma has the potential to eliminate both the tumor as well as the underlying cirrhosis and is the ideal treatment for HCC in cirrhotic liver as well as massive HCC in noncirrhotic liver.

Diagnostic Test: ctDNA
Circulating Tumor DNA Correlates With Microvascular Invasion and Predicts Tumor Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Diagnostic Test: whole exome sequencing
xome sequencing analysis of liver tumors could reveal mutational signatures associated with specific risk factors of recurrence.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

  1. molecular-subtype heterogeneity between primary HCC and post-transplant HCC recurrence [up to 2 years]

    It is defined as the change of HCC molecular subtype by comparing the primary tumor with intrahepatic or intrapulmonary recurrent tumor.

Secondary Outcome Measures

  1. molecular-subtype [up to 2 years]

    I.Progenitor Type: defined by the transcriptional and protein overexpression of hepatic progenitor markers, inactivating mutations in RPS6KA3 and AXIN1 and hyperphosphorylation of ERK. The main signalling pathways specifically activated in the progenitor subclass are IGF1R and AKT. II.TGFβ-Wnt Type: characterised by activation of both TGFβ and Wnt pathways and an exhausted immune response. Also, an enrichment in TP53 inactivating mutations, amplification of FGF19 and CCND1, as well as frequent activation of pro-survival signalling pathways including cell cycle, mTOR, RAS-MAPK and MET can be detected. III.G4 Type: It frequently harbour a steatohepatitic phenotype, as well as exhibiting activation of the IL6/JAK-STAT pathway. IV.CTNNB1 Type: a subset of HCC harbouring CTNNB1 mutations. TERT promoter mutations are more frequent in this subclass

  2. Recurrence-Free Survival (RFS) [up to 3 years]

    RFS is defined as the time from inclusion to first documentation of disease recurrence (intrahepatic or intrapulmonary) as assessed by BICR or by pathology consistent with HCC if required per the site's standard of care, or death due to any cause (both cancer and non-cancer causes of death)

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:
18 Years to 80 Years
Sexes Eligible for Study:
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
No
Inclusion Criteria:
  • Patients must have pathologically or cytologically or by radiological criteria proven hepatocellular carcinoma; known mixed histology (e.g. hepatocellular carcinoma plus cholangiocarcinoma) or fibrolamellar variant is not allowed

  • Patients have post-transplant HCC recurrence(cohort 1), Indication for being an candidate in the waiting list for liver transplant according to multidisciplinary board evaluation(cohort 2)

  • The time frame between liver transplant and diagnosis of post-transplant HCC recurrence> 6 months

  • No prior hepatectomy or systemic therapy or local therapy (TACE etc.)

Exclusion Criteria:
  • History of oncological systemic treatment

  • early recurrence(<6 months)

  • multiple organ transplantation

Contacts and Locations

Locations

Site City State Country Postal Code
1 Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China 200127

Sponsors and Collaborators

  • RenJi Hospital

Investigators

  • Study Director: Hao Feng, M.D., Ph.D., Dept. of Liver surgery, Renji Hospital, Medical School of Shanghai Jiaotong University

Study Documents (Full-Text)

None provided.

More Information

Publications

None provided.
Responsible Party:
RenJi Hospital
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT04506398
Other Study ID Numbers:
  • Renji-IIT-2020-0007
First Posted:
Aug 10, 2020
Last Update Posted:
Jun 24, 2021
Last Verified:
Jun 1, 2021
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product:
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product:
No
Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Study Results

No Results Posted as of Jun 24, 2021