Pathologic response to non-surgical locoregional therapies as potential selection criteria for liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma

Summary Background: Preoperative locoregional treatments (PLT) are performed to avoid progression before liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objective of this study was to analyze the prognostic factors affecting the outcome in patients who received PLT. Material/Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent liver transplantation (LT) was performed. All patients who underwent PLT with confirmed pathological diagnosis of HCC were included. The rate of tumor necrosis (TN) was assessed by microscopic histological examination. Results: From January 1997 to December 2010, PLT was performed in 154 patients ROC analysis individuated a TN cut-off value at 40%. Ninety-one patients (59.1%) of the patients presented TN>40%. At multivariate analysis, TN 40% and 82.5%, 64.2% and 53.2% for those with TN 40%. Conclusions: Response to preoperative locoregional treatment can be used as potential selection criteria for LT.