title: Immunosuppression strategies in liver transplantation patient; patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) consists the main primary malignant tumor of the liver. There is an underlining liver cirrhosis mainly attributed to chronic hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus, alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and other pathologic conditions. Liver transplantation consists a radical management, treating both cancer and cirrhosis. By introducing the Milan Criteria for liver transplantation in HCC patients there was a 5-year survival escalation. Even though there is a careful selection of patients with HCC for transplantation, recurrent disease is still high. The role of immusuppression therapy is of paramount importance, in order to avoid acute and chronic graft rejection while protecting the patient from tumor recurrence. In recent years newer immunosuppressive agents such as the mTOR inhibitors are proposed, having dual properties, as both immunosuppressive and antitumors agents.
authors.affiliation: Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery Department, The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health, Whitechapel Road, London E1 1BB, UK.
authors.forename: Alexander E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Giakoustidis
authors.affiliation: Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki & Hippokration General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Giakoustidis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000628:therapy*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D012008:Recurrence; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma; immunosuppression; liver transplantation; mTOR inhibitors