Liver transplantation for malignant disease.

Area of Science:

• Hepatobiliary Surgery
• Transplant Oncology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Liver transplantation is a curative option for select patients with malignant liver disease.
• Organ scarcity necessitates stringent patient selection criteria, prioritizing those with favorable tumor stage and survival prognosis.
• Adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies are being developed to reduce post-transplant malignancy recurrence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on liver transplantation for various liver malignancies.
• To discuss patient selection criteria and outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma.
• To explore therapeutic strategies for minimizing recurrence risk.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature and clinical practices regarding liver transplantation for malignant liver disease.
• Analysis of survival data for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transplantation.
• Discussion of evolving adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment protocols.

Main Results:

• Successful liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with tumors <5 cm or up to three in number yields 3- and 5-year survival rates of 72% and 68%, respectively.
• Ongoing research focuses on optimizing patient selection and perioperative therapies.
• Transplantation is being explored for a range of liver malignancies beyond HCC.

Conclusions:

• Liver transplantation is a viable and effective treatment for specific liver malignancies, offering significant survival benefits.
• Careful patient selection and innovative therapeutic strategies are crucial for maximizing outcomes.
• Further research is needed to expand the application of liver transplantation to a broader spectrum of liver cancers.