Recent advances in liver transplantation for cancer: The future of transplant oncology

Abstract

Summary: Liver transplantation is widely indicated as a curative treatment for selected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. However, with recent therapeutic advances, as well as efforts to increase the donor pool, liver transplantation has been carefully expanded to patients with other primary or secondary malignancies in the liver. Cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal and neuroendocrine liver metastases, and hepatic epithelioid haemangioendothelioma are amongst the most relevant new indications. In this review we discuss the fundamental concepts of this ambitious undertaking, as well as the newest indications for liver transplantation, with a special focus on future perspectives within the recently established concept of transplant oncology. Keywords: Liver transplant, Oncology, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Cholangiocarcinoma, Colorectal Liver Metastasis, Neuroendocrine Tumours, Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma