Case Report
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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 7, 2011; 17(25): 3069-3072
Published online Jul 7, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i25.3069
Liver transplantation for acute hepatic failure due to chemotherapy-induced HBV reactivation in lymphoma patients
Timothée Noterdaeme, Luc Longrée, Christian Bataille, Arnaud Deroover, Anne Lamproye, Jean Delwaide, Yves Beguin, Pierre Honoré, Olivier Detry
Timothée Noterdaeme, Arnaud Deroover, Olivier Detry, Pierre Honoré, Department of Abdominal Surgery and Transplantation, CHU de Liège, University of Liège, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Luc Longrée, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, CHC Liège, University of Liège, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Christian Bataille, Department of Internal Medicine, CHR Huy, University of Liège, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Anne Lamproye, Jean Delwaide, Department of Hepatogastroenterology, CHU de Liège, University of Liège, Belgium
Yves Beguin, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, CHU Liège, University of Liège, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Author contributions: Noterdaeme T wrote the paper, collected data and analyzed data; Longrée L, Bataille C, Lamproye A, Delwaide J, Deroover A, Honoré P, Beguin Y, Detry O provided insights into the subject; Longrée L, Bataille C, Lamproye A, Delwaide J, Deroover A, Honoré P, Beguin Y, Detry O proofread corrected the paper; Longrée L, Bataille C, Lamproye A, Delwaide J were involved in medical treatment; Deroover A, Honoré P, Detry O performed the transplantation; Beguin Y was supervising oncologist; Detry O supervised the study.
Correspondence to: Timothée Noterdaeme, MD, Department of Abdominal Surgery and Transplantation, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, University of Liège, Avenue de l’Hôpital 1, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman, Batiment B35, 4000 Liege, Belgium. tim.noterdaeme@me.com
Telephone: +32-4-79073589    Fax: +32-4-3667069
Received: November 27, 2011
Revised: January 11, 2011
Accepted: January 18, 2011
Published online: July 7, 2011
Abstract

Hepatitis B (HBV) reactivation induced by chemotherapy is problem encountered recently in the management of malignant diseases. Chemotherapy-induced HBV reactivation may ultimately lead to terminal acute liver failure. Liver transplantation (LT) currently remains the only definitive treatment option for such cases, but is generally denied to patients suffering from malignancy. Here, the authors describe 2 cases of cancer-free and HBV graft re-infection-free survival after LT performed for terminal liver failure arising from HBV reactivation induced by chemotherapy for advanced stage lymphoma. These 2 cases, and some other reports in the literature, may suggest that patients suffering from hematologic malignancies and terminal liver disease can be considered for LT if the prognosis of their hematologic malignancy is good.

Keywords: Liver transplantation, Contraindication, Cancer, Liver failure, Chemotherapy, Hepatitis B virus