Liver transplantation in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and concomitant HIV infection: two more reasons to accept or to deny?

摘要

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide, with an incidence rate 2- to 3-fold higher in developing countries than in the industrialized world. Approximately 80% of all HCCs develop in cirrhotic livers with an annual incidence of 3% (1, 2). The most common underlying diseases are chronic viral hepatitis infection and chronic alcohol abuse. Curative treatment options are resection and liver transplantation (LT) (1,2). LT is well established as a life-saving operation for patients with acute or chronic liver failure and is considered as the best treatment option for selected HCC patients even if extended criteria are applied (1).