Long-term outcomes following liver transplantation for hepatic hemangioendothelioma: the UNOS experience from 1987 to 2005.
BACKGROUND
Hepatic hemangioendothelioma (HEH) is a vascular neoplasm with intermediate malignant potential. Outcomes after liver transplantation have only been reported as small, single-institution experiences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient and allograft survivals after liver transplantation in a large, multi-institutional cohort of patients with HEH.


METHODS
Using the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database, we identified 110 patients with a diagnosis of HEH who underwent 126 transplants between 1987 and 2005. Patient and allograft survivals were calculated using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Log rank tests were used to determine the influence of study variables on outcomes.


RESULTS
Of the 110 transplanted patients, 75 patients (68%) were female, 80 patients (73%) were Caucasian, and the median age was 36 years old (23%<4 y.o., 71%>18 y.o.). The 30-day posttransplant mortality rate was 2.4%. At a median patient follow-up interval of 24 months, 1- and 5-year patient and allograft survivals were 80% and 64%, and 70% and 55%, respectively. Pretransplant medical status, but not age, was found to statistically correlate with patient survival.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that survivals after transplantation for HEH are favorable. Given the propensity for recurrence after resection, these data support consideration of liver transplantation for all patients with significant intrahepatic tumor burden.
Rodriguez
Joel A
JA
Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, 1709 Dryden, Suite 15.37, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Becker
Natasha S
NS
O'Mahony
Christine A
CA
Goss
John A
JA
Aloia
Thomas A
TA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D006390:Hemangioendothelioma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
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