Racial disparities in utilization of liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States, 1998-2002.
OBJECTIVE
The extent of use of liver transplantation on a population scale to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States is unknown. We assessed recent predictors of use of liver transplantation and its effect on survival for those with nonmetastatic HCC.


METHODS
The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program is a collection of population-based cancer registries. We identified adults registered in SEER with HCC between 1998 and 2002. We examined determinants for receipt of a liver transplant in univariate and multivariable analyses. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed for those who received and did not receive a transplant for HCC.


RESULTS
We identified 1,156 adults with small (5 cm or less) nonmetastatic HCC. Approximately 45% were white, 29% Asian, 17% Hispanic, and 9% African American. Only 21% received a transplant. More recent year of diagnosis, younger age, being married, white race, and smaller tumor size each predicted receipt of transplant. African Americans and Asians were about half as likely to receive a transplant as compared with white patients (odds ratio [OR] 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.21-0.90 for African Americans, and 0.57, 95% CI 0.36-0.89 for Asians). Hispanics trended in the same direction, but this was not statistically significant (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.39-1.12). Those who underwent liver transplantation for localized HCC had 3- and 5-yr survivals of 81% and 75%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Only one-fifth of those with small, nonmetastatic HCC received liver transplantation. Transplanted patients have long-term survival similar to that of the best single-institution studies. However, marked racial variations were seen, with African Americans and Asians significantly less likely to receive a transplant after controlling for other variables.
Siegel
Abby B
AB
Department of Medicine, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
McBride
Russell B
RB
El-Serag
Hashem B
HB
Hershman
Dawn L
DL
Brown
Robert S
RS
Renz
John F
JF
Emond
Jean
J
Neugut
Alfred I
AI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D044469:Racial Groups; D018426:SEER Program; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology