title: Living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver transplantation is a widely accepted modality in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In our center, patients with HCC limited to the liver without macrovascular invasion are accepted as candidates for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The aim of this study was to describe the patient characteristics and outcomes at a single institution to analyze the impact of our criteria on the survival of HCC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the medical records of all HCC (n = 105) patients who underwent liver transplantation in our institution. We excluded deaths in the early postoperative period and deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) patients, leaving 74 subjects (65 males and 9 female). Their median age was 53 years (range, 19-69). Univariate Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze overall and disease-free survivals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-two (43%) patients were within the Milan criteria, and 42 (57%) exceeded them. One- and 2-year overall survival rates for patients within versus exceeding the Milan criteria were 72% versus 68% and 61% versus 58%, respectively. One- and 2-year disease-free survival rates for patients within versus exceeding the Milan criteria were 72% versus 68% and 60% versus 55%, respectively (P > .05). Tumor recurrence rates for patients within versus exceeding the Milan criteria were 0% versus 36%, respectively (P = .0002). Alpha-fetoprotein level was the only predictor of overall survival; alpha-fetoprotein level and tumor differentiation were predictors of disease-free survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although higher recurrence rates have been observed among patients exceeding the Milan criteria, LDLT is the only treatment option for the patients in countries with limited sources of cadaveric organs. As a general principle, we believe that the use of cadaveric donor liver grafts is not suitable for patients who exceed these criteria.
authors: Department of Surgery, Liver Transplantation Institute, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Isik
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Ince
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Karabulut
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Kayaalp
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Yilmaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D018579:Patient Selection; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: C097353:AFP protein, human; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins