Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: results of a multicenter study with common priorization criteria

To evaluate the results of liver transplantation (OLT) performed for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among a multicenter cohort of patients with predefined common inclusion and priorization criteria.

Over a 5-year period (January 2002-December 2006), 199 HCC patients underwent OLT in four centers in Andalusia. The morphological (Milan) inclusion criteria were priorized in two consecutive periods, according to the Model for End-stage Liver Disease score: group I, 53 patients (HCC < 2 cm = 24 points; > or = 2 cm or multinodular = 29 points) and group II, 146 cases (HCC < 3 cm without priorization; HCC > or = 3 cm or multinodular = 18 points).

Among the 199 HCCs, 186 (93.5%) subjects were transplanted and 13 (6.5%) were excluded. There were 18 cases (9.7%) where the diagnosis was incidental and 168 were known HCC cases; 144 (85.7%) complied with the Milan criteria (Milan+); 24 (14.3%) exceeded there criteria (Milan-). According to preoperative imaging, the number of nodules and tumor mean sizes among the excluded-Milan+ and Milan- groups-were 1.8/5.3 cm, 1.4/3.5 cm, and 2.3/6.7 cm, respectively (P < .001). Percutaneous treatment during listing was delivered to 55% of the excluded cases: 49% of Milan+ and 96% of Milan-. The median time on the list was 88 days for known HCC (53 days for group I, and 97 days for group II), and 172 days for the incidental HCCs. Staging (pTNM) was correct in 64% of cases: 23% were understaged and 13% were overstaged. Overall mortality within the first 90 days was 9%, and transplant patient survival at 5 years was 61%. No differences were observed in survival rates between both study periods, although there were differences between the Milan+ (65%) and Milan- (23%) groups (P < .04). In addition, the difference in the recurrence rates was also significant between the Milan+ (7%), Milan- (24%), and the incidental (25%) groups (P < .02).

A common priorization policy of HCC for OLT based on morphological criteria results in a low exclusion rate on the waiting lists (6.5%). The Milan criteria are still a good cutoff to stratify the risk of recurrence, despite preoperative tumor staging being correct in only two-thirds of cases.