Liver Transplant for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Pathologic Point Of View

Primary liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer overall and the second most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for up to 90% of all primary hepatic malignancies and represents a major international health problem. It is a complex and heterogeneous malignancy, frequently occurs in the setting of a chronically diseased organ, and has multiple confounding factors. Liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma has been established as a standard treatment in selected patients. Liver resection and locoregional therapies could be other options for treatment. Pathologic evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma is a complicated process that includes tumor grading and evaluation of microvascular invasion. Although macrovascular invasion can be detected with imaging techniques, microvascular invasion is diagnosed pathologically. Pathologic evaluation provides additional information about the tumor biology, using immunohistochemical and molecular methods to predict patient outcomes. Hepatocellular carcinoma requires a multidisciplinary approach to determine the most appropriate treatment, as well as requires accurate timing of various treatments for optimal outcomes.