Liver resection for HCC with cirrhosis: surgical perspectives out of EASL/AASLD guidelines

Abstract

EASL/AASLD guidelines clearly define indications for liver surgery for HCC: patients with single HCC and completely preserved liver function without portal hypertension. These guidelines exclude from operation many patients that could benefit from radical resection and that are daily scheduled for hepatectomy in surgical centers. Patients with large tumors or with portal vein thrombosis cannot be transplanted or treated by interstitial treatments. In selected cases liver resection may obtain good long-term outcomes, significantly better than non-curative therapies. In cases of multinodular HCC, liver transplantation is the treatment of choice within Milan criteria; patients beyond these limits can benefit from liver resection, especially if only two nodules are diagnosed: even if they have a worse prognosis, survival results after liver surgery are better than those reported after TACE or conservative treatments. EASL/AASLD guidelines excluded from operating patients with portal hypertension but data about this topic are not conclusive and further studies are necessary. Selected patients with mild portal hypertension could probably be scheduled for liver resection and, considering the shortage of donors, listing for transplantation could be avoided. In conclusion, guidelines for HCC treatment should consider good results of liver resection for advanced HCC, and indications for hepatectomy should be expanded in order not to exclude from radical therapy patients that could benefit from it.