Outcomes of transplantation in children with primary hepatic malignancy

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Hepatobiliary Surgery
• Transplantation Medicine

Background:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and hepatoblastoma (HBL) are the most prevalent pediatric liver cancers.
• The efficacy of liver transplantation (OLT) for pediatric HCC remains a subject of ongoing discussion.
• Understanding OLT outcomes in pediatric liver malignancies is crucial for treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the center's experience with OLT in pediatric patients diagnosed with HCC.
• To compare OLT outcomes for HCC with those for HBL and other non-malignant liver diseases in children.
• To assess the long-term survival and recurrence-free survival rates following OLT for pediatric liver tumors.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records for pediatric patients (<18 years) who underwent OLT for HCC.
• Comparison of HCC patient data with cohorts undergoing OLT for HBL and non-malignant indications.
• Analysis of actuarial patient survival and recurrence-free survival rates at one and five years post-transplantation.

Main Results:

• The study included 10 HCC cases and 15 HBL cases, alongside 377 patients with non-malignant indications.
• One and five-year patient survival rates were 100% and 83.3% for HCC, 86.7% for HBL, and 87.7% and 84.7% for non-malignant cases, respectively.
• Five-year recurrence-free survival was 83.3% for HCC and 66.8% for HBL.

Conclusions:

• Liver transplantation is an effective therapeutic option for pediatric patients with HCC.
• OLT demonstrates favorable survival and recurrence-free survival outcomes for both HCC and HBL in children.
• These findings support OLT as a significant treatment modality for pediatric liver malignancies.