Special Issue

Topic: Liver Transplant for HCC: Short-Term and Long-Term Problems during Follow-Up

ISSN 2454-2520 (Online) 2394-5079 (Print)

Submission deadline: 30 Nov 2020

Guest Editor(s)

Geoff McCaughan, MD, PhD

Centenary Research Institute, Australian National Liver Transplant Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Special Issue Introduction

Liver Transplantation is now an established therapy for patients with known Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Criteria for patient selection vary across several countries and continents ranging from the well established Milan criteria to University of San Francisco California Criteria and the more recently modified criteria such as the Metro ticket concept designed to include serum alpha-fetoprotein levels and hence aspects of tumour biology in patient selection. HCC is a complication of all forms of cirrhosis and continues to be a significant problem in patients with chronic HCV-associated cirrhosis even in those who have cleared the virus. With the emergence of non-alcoholic liver disease as an increasing cause of HCC and an indication for liver transplantation, post-transplant metabolic issues in HCC patients need to be monitored and addressed. Hepatitis B virus-associated HCC means that prevention of HBV recurrence is a major issue for HCC patients undergoing liver transplantation in many parts of the world. HCC also complicates autoimmune disease such as Primary Biliary Cholangitis, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, and Autoimmune Hepatitis. Hence, recurrence of these diseases may also pose a problem in liver transplantation for HCC. All these issues are addressed in this issue by international leading experts. In addition, common problems that effect all patients such as early allograft dysfunction, allograft rejection, acute kidney injury as well as long term problems such as ischemic biliopathy and extrahepatic malignancy in long-term immunosuppressed patients are discussed. Hence, this issue covers all the major topics that need to be understood in managing patients with HCC undergoing liver transplantation.

Titles:

Short-term problems
1. Primary non-function and Early allograft dysfunction
2. Acute kidney injury: Prevention and effect on immunosuppression
3. Acute allograft rejection: Diagnosis, risk factors and treatment
4. Prevention of HBV recurrence
5. Minimisation of HCC recurrence and treatment

Long-term problems
1. Ischemic Biliopathy: Risk factors and management
2. Extrahepatic malignancy: Risks and prevention
3. Recognition and management of the metabollic syndrome
4. Recurrent Autoimmune diseases(PBC/PSC/AIH)