Gloor, SeverinSeverinGloorJiang, WanjieWanjieJiangMaurer, MartinMartinMaurerGottstein, BrunoBrunoGottstein0000-0003-0782-3723Oberli, Alexander OliverAlexander OliverOberliHagemann, Jürgen BJürgen BHagemannHotz, Julian FJulian FHotzCandinas, DanielDanielCandinasLachenmayer, AnjaAnjaLachenmayerGrüner, BeateBeateGrünerBeldi, GuidoGuidoBeldi0000-0002-9914-38072024-10-252024-10-252024-02https://boris-portal.unibe.ch/handle/20.500.12422/170819INTRODUCTION Recurrence after curative resection of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis remains a clinical challenge. The current study tested if assessment of anti-recEm18 allows for postsurgical patient surveillance. METHODS A retrospective study with patients undergoing liver resection for alveolar echinococcosis (n = 88) at the University Hospital Bern from 2002 to 2020 and at the University Hospital and Medical Center Ulm from 2011 to 2017 was performed. Analysis was directed to determine a potential association of pre- and postoperative values of anti-recEm18 with clinical outcomes. RESULTS Anti-recEm18 had a linear correlation to the maximum lesion diameter (R2 = 0.558). Three trajectories of anti-recEm18 were identified based on a threshold of 10 AU/ml: "Em18-low" (n = 31), "responders" (n = 53) and "residual disease" (n = 4). The decline of anti-recEm18 in "responders" reached a plateau after 10.9 months at which levels decreased by 90%. The only patient with recurrence in the entire population was also the only patient with a secondary increase of anti-recEm18. CONCLUSION In patients with preoperative elevated values, anti-recEm18 confirms curative surgery at 12 months follow-up and allows for long-term surveillance.en600 - Technology::610 - Medicine & health500 - Science::570 - Life sciences; biology600 - Technology::630 - Agriculturearticle10.48350/1873723786708410.1016/j.hpb.2023.10.007