Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: the ochsner experience

Liver transplantation is now advocated for patients with early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) not amenable to surgical resection. In this article we review our experience with liver transplantation as treatment for patients with HCC and end-stage liver disease. Between April 1998 and May 2002, 36 patients with a diagnosis of HCC underwent liver transplantation at Ochsner Clinic Foundation. A retrospective analysis was performed examining pretransplant staging of disease, pathologic staging, disease recurrence, and patient survival. Cumulative 1- and 3-year patient survival rates are 80% and 61%, respectively. To date, none of our patients has developed evidence of recurrent cancer. Our data support liver transplantation as the treatment of choice for patients with unresectable early stage HCC.