The prognosis and treatment outcomes of patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation

Liver transplantation (LT) is performed in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but recurrent HCC after LT remains a problem. We retrospectively reviewed the data from 63 patients with recurrent HCC who underwent LT at a single institution between September 1996 and March 2011 to determine the prognosis of patients with recurrent HCC after LT. A survival analysis was performed with the preoperative data, histological findings, patterns of recurrence, and treatment methods. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the factors associated with early (<1yr) cancer-related death. The independent prognostic factors, according to the multivariate analysis, were recurrence within sixmonths (hazards ratio [HR]=4.557, p=0.021) and initial multiple-organ involvement (HR=5.494, p=0.015). The survival rates of patients differed according to the treatment type. The combined treatment with local and systemic treatment resulted in increased survival even in patients with HCC recurrences involving multiple organs.