title: Liver transplantation in the treatment of primary liver cancer.
abstract: One hundred and fifteen patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for primary liver malignancy. Overall survivals of these patients were significantly lower than those of patients with non-malignant diseases (5-year survival rates 37% and 65%, respectively). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was the most common malignancy among our patients (n = 80). Fibrolamellar HCC (n = 9) was associated with better survival than non-fibrolamellar HCC (N = 71) among the lesions greater than or equal to 5 cm in diameter. More frequent recurrence was noted in patients with large tumors (greater than or equal to 5 cm), multiple tumors, and gross vascular involvement. A significant lower survival rate was observed in patients with bile duct cancer (n = 19) than in those with HCC or epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (n = 8). Careful patient selection and effective adjuvant anti-cancer therapy are needed to improve the results of OLT for primary liver malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Todo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwatsuki
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Starzl
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate