The role of re-resection in recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma

Purpose While liver resection is a well-established treatment for primary HCC, surgical treatment for recurrent HCC (rHCC) remains the topic of an ongoing debate. Thus, we investigated perioperative and long-term outcome in patients undergoing re-resection for rHCC in comparative analysis to patients with primary HCC treated by resection. Methods A monocentric cohort of 212 patients undergoing curative-intent liver resection for HCC between 2010 and 2020 in a large German hepatobiliary center were eligible for analysis. Patients with primary HCC (n = 189) were compared to individuals with rHCC (n = 23) regarding perioperative results by statistical group comparisons and oncological outcome using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results Comparative analysis showed no statistical difference between the resection and re-resection group in terms of age (p = 0.204), gender (p = 0.180), ASA category (p = 0.346) as well as main preoperative tumor characteristics, liver function parameters, operative variables, and postoperative complications (p = 0.851). The perioperative morbidity (Clavien-Dindo >= 3a) and mortality were 21.7% (5/23) and 8.7% (2/23) in rHCC, while 25.4% (48/189) and 5.8% (11/189) in primary HCC, respectively (p = 0.851). The median overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in the resection group were 40 months and 26 months, while median OS and RFS were 41 months and 29 months in the re-resection group, respectively (p = 0.933; p = 0.607; log rank). Conclusion Re-resection is technically feasible and safe in patients with rHCC. Further, comparative analysis displayed similar oncological outcome in patients with primary and rHCC treated by liver resection. Re-resection should therefore be considered in European patients diagnosed with rHCC.

Automated summary

Resection for recurrent HCC (rHCC) is technically feasible and safe, with perioperative and postoperative outcomes similar to primary HCC patients. Therefore, re-resection should be considered for European patients diagnosed with rHCC.