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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 28, 2013; 19(48): 9174-9182
Published online Dec 28, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i48.9174
Published online Dec 28, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i48.9174
Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: Role of inflammatory and immunological state on recurrence and prognosis
Matteo Cescon, Valentina Rosa Bertuzzo, Giorgio Ercolani, Matteo Ravaioli, Federica Odaldi, Antonio Daniele Pinna, General Surgery and Transplant Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Author contributions: Cescon M and Bertuzzo VR performed the literature search and wrote the paper; Ercolani G, Ravaioli M and Odaldi F provided critical expertise and reviewed the paper; Pinna AD provided critical expertise and helped with focusing the topics.
Correspondence to: Matteo Cescon, MD, PhD, General Surgery and Transplant Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Padiglione 25, Policlinico Sant’Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. matteo.cescon@unibo.it
Telephone: +39-51-6364750 Fax: +39-51-304902
Received: September 27, 2013
Revised: October 31, 2013
Accepted: November 12, 2013
Published online: December 28, 2013
Revised: October 31, 2013
Accepted: November 12, 2013
Published online: December 28, 2013
Core Tip
Core tip: This review focuses on inflammatory markers recently emerged as indicators of tumor biological behavior and on immune state of patients submitted to liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with a particular reference to the role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. The impact of post-transplant immunosuppression on HCC recurrence is also analyzed according to the most relevant evidences published so far, which outline the importance of minimization of the use of calcineurin inhibitors and the protective role of inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin.