Patients Benefit from Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma beyond Milan Criteria without Harming the Health Care System

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Liver transplantation (LT) is the only definitive treatment to cure hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhosis. Unfortunately, the shortage of donor livers limits access to the best available therapy. As a consequence, transplant candidates undergo selection for transparent waiting list acceptance and priority using the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD). Allocation of standard exception (SE) points for HCC inside the Milan-criteria balances the underrepresented urgency by labMELD in these patients who are exposed to tumor progression. Moreover, patients with HCC outside Milan can undergo LT without SE and might benefit from extended criteria donor (ECD)-grafts. We hypothesized that LT for Milan-out patients is associated with a more complicated postoperative course, reflecting higher costs. Interestingly, we found that LT for patients with Milan-in and Milan-out had comparable donor risk index, clinical outcome and cost-effectiveness. In conclusion, LT with ECD-grafts can have the maximum benefit for selected patients and bear limited financial risk. ABSTRACT: Liver transplantation (LT) is the only definitive treatment to cure hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhosis. Waiting-list candidates are selected by the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD). However, many indications are not sufficiently represented by labMELD. For HCC, patients are selected by Milan-criteria: Milan-in qualifies for standard exception (SE) and better organ access on the waiting list; while Milan-out patients are restricted to labMELD and might benefit from extended criteria donor (ECD)-grafts. We analyzed a cohort of 102 patients (2011–2020). Patients with labMELD (no SE, Milan-out, n = 56) and matchMELD (SE-HCC, Milan-in, n = 46) were compared. The median overall survival was not significantly different (p = 0.759). No difference was found in time on the waiting list (p = 0.881), donor risk index (p = 0.697) or median costs (p = 0.204, EUR 43,500 (EUR 17,800–185,000) for labMELD and EUR 30,300 (EUR 17,200–395,900) for matchMELD). Costs were triggered by a cut-off labMELD of 12 points. Overall, the deficit increased by EUR 580 per labMELD point. Cost drivers were re-operation (p < 0.001), infection with multiresistant germs (p = 0.020), dialysis (p = 0.017), operation time (p = 0.012) and transfusions (p < 0.001). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that LT for HCC is successful and cost-effective in low labMELD patients independent of Milan-criteria. Therefore, ECD-grafts are favorized in Milan-out HCC patients with low labMELD.