Living related liver transplantation in an adult patient with hepatocellular adenoma and carcinoma 13 years after bone marrow transplantation for Fanconi anemia: a case report

摘要

Fanconi anemia is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome, characterised by failing DNA repair. Hematopoetic stem cell transplantation, known to be curative for the bone marrow failure, does neither prevent or cure other manifestations such as the development of malignancies. We describe a 26-year-old male patient with known Fanconi anemia and Marfan syndrome who in 1994 underwent a successful bone marrow transplantation of stem cells from his HLA-identical sister. In 2006, three hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions in the liver were detected and promptly resected. The resection specimen contained 3 lesions, all showing activation of the beta-catenin pathway: a well differentiated steatotic HCC with remnants of the underlying adenoma from which it arose, an adenoma with small foci of well differentiated HCC and a cholestatic adenoma. Known risk factors for developing HCC include Fanconi anemia itself and the use of androgens (oxymetholone) for a period of 3 years preceeding transplantation. Because of the increased risk of developing additional HCC’s, liver transplantation was proposed, taking into account that immunosuppression increases the risk of other malignancies. By using part of the liver of the HLA-identical sister, already acting as bone marrow donor 13 years before, immunosuppression could be avoided.A left lobe liver transplantation was performed without immediate complications for donor and acceptor on July 2, 2007. Nine months after liver transplantation the recipient developed an anastomotic biliary stricture that had to be dilated by percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. Two months later however, the stenosis recurred, necessitating a surgical reanastomosis (hepaticojejunostomy). Five years after liver transplantation the patient is still doing well.This case report is twofold special being the first case reporting Fanconi anemia linked to Marfan syndrome and being the first reported case of Fanconi anemia who was treated for hepatocellular carcinoma by liver transplantation from a living related HLA-identical donor without the use of immunosuppression.