Pre-Transplant Factors Influencing Rates of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence in Liver Transplant Recipients

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to determine factors influencing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence in a cohort of patients who underwent liver transplantation (LT) at a large, tertiary-care medical center. METHODS: A total of 132 patients with the diagnosis of HCC at time of transplant were evaluated for HCC recurrence over a 7-year period. Nine patients were found to have HCC recur post-LT. RESULTS: No significant demographic values were found to indicate recurrence. Pre-LT factors potentially influencing HCC recurrence rates included number of days between HCC diagnosis and date of LT (P = 0.015), caudate lobe involvement (P = 0.019), increased use of radiation therapies pre-LT (P = 0.011), and total number of locoregional therapies (LRT) pre-LT (P < 0.001). Post-transplant outcomes demonstrated a significant difference in deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the recurrent vs. non-recurrent groups (P = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HCC recurrence in this study was lower than the national average, yet difficulty still exists in predicting pre-LT factors which may influence HCC recurrence rates.