Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 23, 2026
A Hepatocellular Cancer Patient-Derived Organoid Xenograft Model to Investigate Impact of Liver Regeneration on Tumor Growth
Published on: February 2, 2024
Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: is zero recurrence theoretically possible?
Sabine Irtan1, Louise Barbier, Claire Francoz
1Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Beaujon Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, University Denis Diderot-Paris VII, Clichy, France. louise.barbier@bjn.aphp.fr.
Background:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence remains a key issue after liver transplantation. This study aimed to determine a subgroup of HCC patients within the Milan criteria who could achieve a theoretical goal of zero recurrence rates after liver transplantation.
Methods:
Between 1999 and 2009, 179 patients who received liver transplantation for HCC within the Milan criteria were retrospectively included. Analysis of the factors associated with HCC recurrence was performed to determine the subgroup of patients at the lowest risk of recurrence.
Results:
Seventy-two percent of the patients received a bridging therapy, including 54 liver resections. Eleven (6.1%) patients recurred within a delay of 19+/-22 months and ultimately died. Factors associated with recurrence were serum alpha-fetoprotein level >400 ng/mL, satellite nodules, poor differentiation, microvascular invasion and cholangiocarcinoma component. Recurrence rates decreased from 6.1% to 3.1% in patients without any of these factors.
Conclusions:
Among HCC patients within the Milan criteria, selecting patients with factors based on histology would allow tending towards zero recurrence, and prior histological assessment by liver biopsy or resection may be essential to rule out poorly differentiated tumors, microvascular invasion, and cholangiocarcinoma component.
