Liver transplantation for neuroendocrine cancer – pro

Liver transplantation for the treatment of metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has a several decade history and results in an occasional cure. The reported experience with transplantation for NETs is limited to about 150 cases with widely varying results and few 5-year disease-free survivors. According to a 2010 Consensus recommendation, “liver transplantation can be considered in young patients (below 50 years of age) when the primary tumour originates in the gastrointestinal tract, is drained by the venous portal system, and has been previously removed with curative intent, and when disease progression is controlled for at least 6 months before transplantation.” NCCN does not list liver transplantation as an appropriate option in its 2012 guideline.

nccn, Neuroendocrine, 2012

Kocha W, Maroun J, Kennecke H, Law C, Metrakos P, Ouellet JF, Reid R, Rowsell C, Shah A, Singh S, Van Uum S, Wong R. Consensus recommendations for the diagnosis and management of well-differentiated gastroenterohepatic neuroendocrine tumours: a revised statement from a Canadian National Expert Group.Curr Oncol. 2010 Jun;17(3):49-64.

Florman S, Toure B, Kim L, Gondolesi G, Roayaie S, Krieger N, Fishbein T, Emre S, Miller C, Schwartz M.
Liver transplantation for neuroendocrine tumors.J Gastrointest Surg. 2004 Feb;8(2):208-12.

Y. Patrice Le Treut, M.D.,* Jean R. Delpero, M.D.,* Bertrand Dousset, M.D.,et al, Results of Liver Transplantation in the Treatment of Metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumors A 31-Case French Multicentric Report ANNALS OF SURGERY Vol. 225, No. 4, 355-364

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