The Role of Liver Transplantation in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

It is known that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is related to different risk factors, primarily represented by infection with hepatitis B or C virus, so in most cases the non-tumoral hepatic tissue is also affected by cirrhosis.
Amongst the therapeutic arsenal of HCC, the liver transplantation (LT) ranks first being the only treatment that offers a complete oncological resection and cure for the underlying liver cirrhosis simultaneously. Studies have shown that patients with LT have a significant better survival compared to those with liver resections [1]. Most patients with cirrhosis have abnormal liver function and are not candidates for resection.
Because there was much controversy regarding guidelines for LT in HCC, an international consensus conference was held in Zurich in 2010 aimed to develop internationally accepted statements and guidelines. The conference report had 37 statements and recommendations [2].[More]