Liver transplantation for benign liver tumors

Abstract

Benign liver tumors are common lesions that are usually asymptomatic and are often found incidentally due to recent advances in imaging techniques and their widespread use. Although most of these tumors can be managed conservatively or treated by surgical resection, liver transplantation (LT) is the only treatment option in selected patients. LT is usually indicated in patients that present with life-threatening complications, when the lesions are diffuse in the hepatic parenchyma or when malignant transformation cannot be ruled out. However, due to the significant postoperative morbidity of the procedure, scarcity of available donor liver grafts, and the benign course of the disease, the indications for LT are still not standardized. Hepatic adenoma and adenomatosis, hepatic hemangioma, and hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma are among the most common benign liver tumors treated by LT. This article reviews the role of LT in patients with benign liver tumors. The indications for LT and long-term outcomes of LT are presented.

Keywords: Benign liver tumor; Liver transplantation; Hepatic adenoma; Liver adenomatosis; Hepatic hemangioma; Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

Core Tip: Liver transplantation (LT) is rarely performed for benign liver tumors. However, LT is a valid and efficient treatment option in selected patients with life-threatening complications or when surgical resection is impossible. The indications for LT for these lesions are still not well defined. This report focuses on the indications for LT and long-term LT outcomes in patients who underwent transplantation for benign liver tumors.