Liver transplantation exceeding UCSF criteria: case report of a late recurrence treated by surgery and review of the literature

Introduction: Treatment of a recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver transplantation. Surgery has seldom been considered in such a situation because HCC recurrences are generally considered as a systemic disease.

Patient and methods: We describe a 47-year-old male patient who underwent liver transplantation in October 1999 for HCC exceeding the Milan and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), criteria.

Results: In 2007 (8 years after liver transplantation), the patient developed a cervical bone metastasis treated by surgery. In April 2008, HCC had disseminated to hepatic pedicle lymph nodes. An extended hepatic pedicle lymphadenectomy was then performed. Today, our patient is doing well, without signs of recurrence.

Discussion: The risk of developing a tumor recurrence is the main argument against expanding the UCSF criteria. In case of an HCC recurrence, various treatments ranging from a change in the immunosuppression regimen to chemotherapy have been proposed. Surgical treatment has rarely been envisaged in the treatment of HCC recurrences because of the technical difficulties and the frequent dissemination of cancer.