Purpose: Tumor recurrence is the major limitation of long-term survival after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC). Understanding tumor-biologic characteristics is important for selection of patients and for development of adjuvant therapeutic strategies.
Patients and methods: The study included 69 patients who underwent potentially curative liver transplantation for HCC/FLC and survived for more than 150 days; minimum follow-up was 33 months. Frequency, localization, and timing of recurrence were analyzed and compared with primary tumor and patient characteristics.
Results: Tumor recurrence was observed in 39 patients at 67 locations. Hematogenous spread was the major route of tumor recurrence (87%), and the most frequent sites were the liver (62%), lung (56%), and bone (18%). Parameters associated with recurrence were absence of cirrhosis, tumor size greater than 5 cm, more than five nodules, vascular infiltration, and International Union Against Cancer (UICC) stage IVA. Selective intrahepatic recurrence was found in nine patients (23%); it was associated with highly differentiated tumors, lack of vascular infiltration, and male sex. Recurrence at multiple sites was found predominantly in young patients (< or = 40 years) and for multicentric (> 5) primary tumors. Recurrences were observed within a wide time range after transplantation (43 to 3,204 days; median, 441 days); late recurrences (> 1,000 days, n = 8) were associated with highly differentiated or fibrolamellar tumors and low UICC stages. Surgical treatment was the only therapeutic option associated with prolonged survival after recurrence.
Conclusion: In transplant recipients, hepatocellular carcinomas vary considerably in their pattern and kinetics of metastases. Tumor cells may persist in a dormant state for long time periods before giving rise to clinical metastases. Surgical treatment of recurrence should be considered whenever possible.