Ammar Majeed1,2,3, Maria Castedal4, Urban Arnelo1,5, Gunnar Söderdahl1,6, Annika Bergquist1, Karouk Said1. 1. a Center for Digestive Disease, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden. 2. b Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden. 3. c Central Clinical School, Monash University, Alfred Hospital , Melbourne , Australia. 4. d Transplant Institute, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden. 5. e Department of Clinical Science, Division of Surgery , Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden. 6. f Department of Transplantation Surgery , Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital , Huddinge , Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) have increased risk of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). We evaluated pre-transplant work-up in PSC patients, to search for the most effective strategy for the detection of biliary dysplasia or early CCA. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty five consecutive PSC patients undergoing liver transplantation (LTx) in Sweden between 1999 and 2013 were studied. Patients with CCA or dysplasia in the explanted liver were compared with those with benign histopathology. Measures of test performance were calculated for patients having brush cytology on one endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography (ERCP) occasion, for those having repeated examinations with or without cholangioscopy, and for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Survival after LTx was analyzed. RESULTS: Brush cytology on a single ERCP occasion had moderate sensitivity (57%) and high specificity (94%) for the detection of CCA/high grade dysplasia (HGD) in the explanted liver. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity for FISH were 84% and 90%, respectively. Utilizing repeated ERCP and brush cytology to confirm the initial finding improved sensitivity to 82%. Using single operator cholangioscopy (SOC) for targeted examination at the second ERCP improved sensitivity (100%) and specificity (97%) significantly. Mortality rate in patients with incidentally discovered CCA (n = 16) in the explanted liver was significantly higher than in patients with HGD or benign histopathology (HR 16.0; 95% CI, 5.6-45.4; p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Repeated brush cytology especially when combined with targeted examination under SOC guidance is superior to single brush examinations. This strategy improves the detection of malignancy in PSC and is of importance for selection of patients for LTx.
BACKGROUND:Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) have increased risk of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). We evaluated pre-transplant work-up in PSC patients, to search for the most effective strategy for the detection of biliary dysplasia or early CCA. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty five consecutive PSC patients undergoing liver transplantation (LTx) in Sweden between 1999 and 2013 were studied. Patients with CCA or dysplasia in the explanted liver were compared with those with benign histopathology. Measures of test performance were calculated for patients having brush cytology on one endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography (ERCP) occasion, for those having repeated examinations with or without cholangioscopy, and for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Survival after LTx was analyzed. RESULTS: Brush cytology on a single ERCP occasion had moderate sensitivity (57%) and high specificity (94%) for the detection of CCA/high grade dysplasia (HGD) in the explanted liver. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity for FISH were 84% and 90%, respectively. Utilizing repeated ERCP and brush cytology to confirm the initial finding improved sensitivity to 82%. Using single operator cholangioscopy (SOC) for targeted examination at the second ERCP improved sensitivity (100%) and specificity (97%) significantly. Mortality rate in patients with incidentally discovered CCA (n = 16) in the explanted liver was significantly higher than in patients with HGD or benign histopathology (HR 16.0; 95% CI, 5.6-45.4; p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Repeated brush cytology especially when combined with targeted examination under SOC guidance is superior to single brush examinations. This strategy improves the detection of malignancy in PSC and is of importance for selection of patients for LTx.
Authors: Hege Marie Vedeld; Marit M Grimsrud; Kim Andresen; Heidi D Pharo; Erik von Seth; Tom H Karlsen; Hilde Honne; Vemund Paulsen; Martti A Färkkilä; Annika Bergquist; Marine Jeanmougin; Lars Aabakken; Kirsten M Boberg; Trine Folseraas; Guro E Lind Journal: Hepatology Date: 2021-12-05 Impact factor: 17.298