Transplant Oncology in Evolution: Emerging Roles for Liver Transplant Beyond Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Abstract
Liver transplantation has emerged as a curative treatment option for selected patients with unresectable hepatic malignancies beyond hepatocellular carcinoma, marking a paradigm shift in transplant oncology. For colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM), prospective trials have demonstrated that highly selected patients achieve 5-year overall survival rates of 60-83%, with the Oslo score identifying optimal candidates for transplantation. Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) has been successfully treated using strict patient selection criteria combined with neoadjuvant therapy, achieving 5-year survival rates of 50-68%, though emerging data suggests chemotherapy-based approaches may be preferable to radiation in selected cases. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), previously considered a contraindication to transplantation, can now achieve excellent long-term outcomes (79.5% 5-year overall survival) in patients demonstrating sustained response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radioembolization, with metabolic tumor volume
Fields of Study & Subjects
Cholangiocarcinoma and Gallbladder Cancer Studies
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis
Cancer Mechanisms and Therapy
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Preprints.org
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Publication date
- 26 January 2026
- Document type
- Preprint