Living donor liver transplantation for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Japan

Abstract

Liver transplantation has now been an established treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis. The Milan criteria have been accepted and applied widely in the world as an indication for deceased donor liver transplant. Due to the severe organ shortage, however, living donor liver transplant (LDLT) has accounted for the majority of transplantations in Japan and the other Asian countries/regions. LDLT cannot be limited by the restrictions imposed by the allocation system but depends on institutional criterion or case-by-case considerations. Accumulating data from a nationwide survey and each center experience have indicated that extending the Milan criteria is warranted.

Keywords

Liver transplantation / living donor / hepatocellular carcinoma

References

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