Background: Bridge hepatectomy followed by salvage liver transplantation has been proposed for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and preserved liver function.
Methods: Data were prospectively collected for 501 consecutive patients who underwent curative primary hepatectomy for HCC between 1990 and 2006. Patient survival, disease-free survival (DFS), recurrence patterns, and risk factors were analyzed in patients classified according to the Milan criteria.
Results: Patients were divided into two groups on the basis of whether their disease was within the Milan criteria (group 1, n = 321) or not (group 2, n = 180). Group 1 patient survival and DFS rates were 73.6% and 40.6% at 5 years. Recurrence was observed in 160 group 1 patients (49.8%); in 42 (26.3%) of these 160 patients, the recurrence exceeded the Milan criteria. No recurrence was noted in 145 group 1 patients (45.2%). Group 2 patient survival and DFS rates were 52.2% and 23.2%, respectively, at 5 years. Recurrence was noted in 116 patients (64.4%); recurrence in 58 (50.0%) of these patients was within the Milan criteria. In group 2, no recurrence was noted in 55 patients (30.6%). In group 1, indocyanine green retention rate at 15 minutes of >15%, nonanatomical resection, and multiple tumors were statistically significant risk factors for survival; 10-year patient survival was 78.5% for patients with no risk factors and 64.9% for patients with a single risk factor.
Conclusions: The Milan criteria should be used to recommend hepatectomy for patients with HCC; however, it is important to consider the high recurrence rate after hepatectomy and the possible requirement of salvage transplantation.