Liver transplantation is more effective than local resection in treating small hepatocellular carcinoma

Clinically, liver cancer with a tumor diameter of ≤3cm is called small liver cancer, and its treatment is mainly a combination of surgical resection, local treatment and liver transplantation. In addition, liver transplantation is also one of the effective ways to treat liver cancer, and in terms of treatment effect, liver transplantation is better than local resection in treating small liver cancer.

First of all, it is certain that surgical resection is still an important part of the treatment of small liver cancer and an important way for patients to achieve long-term survival. According to clinical statistics, the 5-year productivity of patients with small liver cancer after local resection can reach more than 50%. In comparison, liver transplantation for small liver cancer can achieve similar results to benign diseases, with a 5-year survival rate of about 80%, which is significantly higher than local resection. This is because:

1. After local resection, some cancer cells may remain, and these cancer cells may cause tumor recurrence at any time; liver transplantation is to remove the entire diseased liver, eliminating possible residual cancer to the greatest extent, thereby effectively improving the long-term survival rate.

2. The occurrence of liver cancer is closely related to the hepatitis B virus. For example, about 85% of liver cancer patients in my country have liver cirrhosis. Even if the existing lesions are removed, the remaining liver parenchyma is still cirrhotic liver parenchyma and tumors can recur. Liver transplantation not only removes the original diseased liver with hepatitis B as the basis, but also can provide relevant treatment for hepatitis B. Most patients can turn negative for hepatitis B after liver transplantation.

3. Liver cancer has the biological characteristic of intrahepatic metastasis. Local resection cannot eliminate potential intrahepatic metastatic lesions, which can not only continue to grow but also proliferate. Liver transplantation removes the entire diseased liver, completely eliminating potential metastasis and thus destroying the potential base of liver cancer cells.