Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: 'Experience of Memorial Sisli Hospital'

摘要

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary tumor of the liver and is considered an aggressive tumor with mean survival estimated between 6 and 20 months. Hepatic resection is the treatment of choice in patients with HCC in noncirrhotic livers. Some large series demonstrated 5-year survival rates between 30 and 50% after hepatic resection [1]. It is also well known that HCC occurs in chronically diseased livers in about >90% cases. Impairment of liver function and existence of portal hypertension make a safe liver resection impossible in most of the patients, and therefore, the resectability is still very low (5 to 10%). A high tumor recurrence, either as intrahepatic metastases or as development of de novo tumors on remaining cirrhotic liver, is not uncommon. On the other hand, liver transplantation (OLT) appears to be the best treatment for HCC while offering the best oncological resection and also correction of liver function. Early experience with OLT for HCC resulted in poor post-transplant survival and high recurrence rates which believed are due to suboptimal patient selection [2].