Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: expanding frontiers and building bridges

Despite significant advances in nonsurgical treatments of hepatocellular carcinoma, these approaches rarely result in cure. Surgery remains the mainstay of curative therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver transplantation, in particular, has emerged as one of the most beneficial therapeutic modalities. Questions remain, however, regarding hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance, the choice of surgical resection versus transplantation, the role of chemotherapy, optimal selection criteria for transplantation, and the role of ablative therapies to halt tumor progression and downsize tumors exceeding transplant criteria.