Prothrombin-induced by vitamin K absence II as a prognostic factor in living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), there is a need for novel tumor markers to enhance patient selection for liver transplantation. This study evaluates the prognostic value of Prothrombin Induced by Vitamin K Absence-II (PIVKA-II) in predicting microvascular invasion (MVI) and post-transpla...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Abu Bakar Hafeez Bhatti, Usman Shafique, Nazish Ahmed, Ghazanfar Abbas, Muslim Atiq, Haseeb Haider Zia, Nusrat Yar Khan, Atif Rana
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08103-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849334984989474816
author Abu Bakar Hafeez Bhatti
Usman Shafique
Nazish Ahmed
Ghazanfar Abbas
Muslim Atiq
Haseeb Haider Zia
Nusrat Yar Khan
Atif Rana
author_facet Abu Bakar Hafeez Bhatti
Usman Shafique
Nazish Ahmed
Ghazanfar Abbas
Muslim Atiq
Haseeb Haider Zia
Nusrat Yar Khan
Atif Rana
author_sort Abu Bakar Hafeez Bhatti
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), there is a need for novel tumor markers to enhance patient selection for liver transplantation. This study evaluates the prognostic value of Prothrombin Induced by Vitamin K Absence-II (PIVKA-II) in predicting microvascular invasion (MVI) and post-transplant recurrence, either alone or in combination with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), following living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We reviewed 400 patients who underwent LDLT under expanded criteria (largest tumor diameter ≤ 10 cm, any tumor number, AFP < 1000 ng/ml). PIVKAII outperformed AFP and tumor size in predicting MVI, with a C-statistic of 0.777 compared to 0.579 and 0.631. On multivariate analysis, AFP > 20 ng/ml [HR 3.3, P = 0.003] and PIVKAII > 1000 mAU/ml [HR 3.5, P = 0.001] were predictors of recurrence. PIVKAII > 1000 mAU/ml was associated with MVI (21.6% vs. 65.7%, P < 0.001) and lower 5-year RFS (79% vs. 50%, P < 0.001). A combination of AFP > 20 ng/ml and PIVKAII > 1000 mAU/ml predicted 47.1% of recurrences, whereas HCC recurred in 6.1% of patients not meeting this threshold. The 5-year RFS was 45% for dual tumor marker positive HCC versus 77% for all others (P < 0.001). PIVKAII is a strong predictor of MVI and post-transplant recurrence. Dual tumor marker-positive HCC can serve as an exclusion criterion for upfront LDLT.
format Article
id doaj-art-24f55e02aa32437a8fdad4304c058d38
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-24f55e02aa32437a8fdad4304c058d382025-08-20T03:45:26ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-011511810.1038/s41598-025-08103-1Prothrombin-induced by vitamin K absence II as a prognostic factor in living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinomaAbu Bakar Hafeez Bhatti0Usman Shafique1Nazish Ahmed2Ghazanfar Abbas3Muslim Atiq4Haseeb Haider Zia5Nusrat Yar Khan6Atif Rana7Department of HPB Surgery and Liver Transplantation , Shifa International Hospital Islamabad Department of HPB Surgery and Liver Transplantation , Shifa International Hospital Islamabad Department of HPB Surgery and Liver Transplantation , Shifa International Hospital Islamabad Department of Pathology , Shifa International Hospital Islamabad Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology , Shifa International Hospital Islamabad Department of HPB Surgery and Liver Transplantation , Shifa International Hospital Islamabad Department of HPB Surgery and Liver Transplantation , Shifa International Hospital Islamabad Department of Radiology , Shifa International Hospital Islamabad Abstract In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), there is a need for novel tumor markers to enhance patient selection for liver transplantation. This study evaluates the prognostic value of Prothrombin Induced by Vitamin K Absence-II (PIVKA-II) in predicting microvascular invasion (MVI) and post-transplant recurrence, either alone or in combination with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), following living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We reviewed 400 patients who underwent LDLT under expanded criteria (largest tumor diameter ≤ 10 cm, any tumor number, AFP < 1000 ng/ml). PIVKAII outperformed AFP and tumor size in predicting MVI, with a C-statistic of 0.777 compared to 0.579 and 0.631. On multivariate analysis, AFP > 20 ng/ml [HR 3.3, P = 0.003] and PIVKAII > 1000 mAU/ml [HR 3.5, P = 0.001] were predictors of recurrence. PIVKAII > 1000 mAU/ml was associated with MVI (21.6% vs. 65.7%, P < 0.001) and lower 5-year RFS (79% vs. 50%, P < 0.001). A combination of AFP > 20 ng/ml and PIVKAII > 1000 mAU/ml predicted 47.1% of recurrences, whereas HCC recurred in 6.1% of patients not meeting this threshold. The 5-year RFS was 45% for dual tumor marker positive HCC versus 77% for all others (P < 0.001). PIVKAII is a strong predictor of MVI and post-transplant recurrence. Dual tumor marker-positive HCC can serve as an exclusion criterion for upfront LDLT.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08103-1
spellingShingle Abu Bakar Hafeez Bhatti
Usman Shafique
Nazish Ahmed
Ghazanfar Abbas
Muslim Atiq
Haseeb Haider Zia
Nusrat Yar Khan
Atif Rana
Prothrombin-induced by vitamin K absence II as a prognostic factor in living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma
Scientific Reports
title Prothrombin-induced by vitamin K absence II as a prognostic factor in living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma
title_full Prothrombin-induced by vitamin K absence II as a prognostic factor in living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma
title_fullStr Prothrombin-induced by vitamin K absence II as a prognostic factor in living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma
title_full_unstemmed Prothrombin-induced by vitamin K absence II as a prognostic factor in living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma
title_short Prothrombin-induced by vitamin K absence II as a prognostic factor in living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma
title_sort prothrombin induced by vitamin k absence ii as a prognostic factor in living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08103-1
work_keys_str_mv AT abubakarhafeezbhatti prothrombininducedbyvitaminkabsenceiiasaprognosticfactorinlivingdonorlivertransplantationforhepatocellularcarcinoma
AT usmanshafique prothrombininducedbyvitaminkabsenceiiasaprognosticfactorinlivingdonorlivertransplantationforhepatocellularcarcinoma
AT nazishahmed prothrombininducedbyvitaminkabsenceiiasaprognosticfactorinlivingdonorlivertransplantationforhepatocellularcarcinoma
AT ghazanfarabbas prothrombininducedbyvitaminkabsenceiiasaprognosticfactorinlivingdonorlivertransplantationforhepatocellularcarcinoma
AT muslimatiq prothrombininducedbyvitaminkabsenceiiasaprognosticfactorinlivingdonorlivertransplantationforhepatocellularcarcinoma
AT haseebhaiderzia prothrombininducedbyvitaminkabsenceiiasaprognosticfactorinlivingdonorlivertransplantationforhepatocellularcarcinoma
AT nusratyarkhan prothrombininducedbyvitaminkabsenceiiasaprognosticfactorinlivingdonorlivertransplantationforhepatocellularcarcinoma
AT atifrana prothrombininducedbyvitaminkabsenceiiasaprognosticfactorinlivingdonorlivertransplantationforhepatocellularcarcinoma