[Transplantation in cancer therapy]

In 1978, the new immunosuppressant, cyclosporin A, was accepted in clinical transplantation by Calne. Cyclosporin A eventually improved the results obtained after transplantation, after which it was widely accepted all over the world. Transplantation of several organs can be accepted as an effective form of treatment for patients with end-stage disease of each organ. Recently, transplantation has proved to be an excellent therapeutic method for cancer, especially in primary liver malignancy. Starzl has obtained good results in cases of fibrolamellar hepatomas. However, conservative surgical treatment should be used, whenever possible. Today, patients with unresectable liver tumor can expect long-term survival and even cure after liver transplantation with adjuvant therapeutic methods. Naturally, organ replacement is the most extensive surgical procedure for cancer treatment. However, early recurrence of tumors has often been observed following this therapy, possibly due to suppression. Adjuvant chemotherapy will thus be needed to improve the results of transplantation for malignancy.