Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2021.
World J Clin Oncol. Aug 24, 2021; 12(8): 623-645
Published online Aug 24, 2021. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v12.i8.623
Table 1 Selection criteria for liver transplantation in hepatocellular carcinoma
CriteriaDefinition
Overall survival, (%)
Comment
Milan criteria (MC) (1996)[5]Single tumor ≤ 5 cm75% (4-yr OS)Gold standard
2-3 tumors ≤ 3 cm92% (4-yr OS; inside MC at pathological examination)Validated by many subsequent studies
No macrovascular involvement
No extrahepatic disease
UCSF (2001)[28,163]Single tumor ≤ 6.5 cm90% (1-yr OS)Initial definition on pathological examination
3 tumors all ≤ 4.5 cm with total tumor diameter ≤ 8 cm75% (5-yr OS)
Subsequently validated in preoperative imaging
Up-to seven (2009)[29]Sum of the number of tumors and diameter of the largest tumor (in cm) ≤ 764% (beyond MC but within up-to-seven)
Without microvascular invasion: 71%
With microvascular invasion 47%
Navarro criteria (2008)[32]1 tumor ≤ 6 cm92% (1-yr OS)
2-3 tumors ≤ 5 cm73% (5-yr OS)
Valencia criteria Silva et al[34] (2008)Up to 3 tumors, each ≤ 5 cm, and a cumulative tumor burden ≤ 10 cm69% (5-yr OS)
Recurrence probability: 12% and 28% after 1 and 5 yr, respectively
TTV (2008)[164]TTV ≤ 115 cm380% (5-yr OS)In some centers only LDLT for those beyond MC
AFP ≤ 400 ng/mL[165]
ETC (2011)[31]No limits in size and number68% (beyond MC but inside ETC)
No vascular invasion68% (5-yr OS)[37]
No extrahepatic disease
No cancer-related symptoms
Biopsy of the largest lesion not poorly differentiated
Asan criteria (2008)[33]Largest tumor diameter ≤ 5 cm76% (5-yr OS)LDLT
Number of HCC lesions ≤ 6
No vascular invasion
Kyoto criteria (2007)[166]Number of lesions ≤ 10Beyond MC but within Kyoto criteria: 65% 5-yr OSLDLT
Size of the largest lesion ≤ 5 cm
82% (5-yr OS)[38]
DCP ≤ 400 mAU/mL
Kyushu criteria (2011)[167,168]Any number of tumors with a maximum diameter ≤ 5 cm- 81% (5-yr OS)[169]LDLT
DCP < 300 mAU/mL
Tokyo criteria 8 (5-5 rule)[30,35]Up to 5 tumors80% (5-yr OS)LDLT
Maximum diameter ≤ 5 cm
Samsung[170]Maximum tumor size ≤ 6 cm90% RFS after 5 yrLDLT
Number of tumors ≤ 7
AFP ≤ 1000 ng/mL
5-5-500[41]Up to 5 tumors - 76% (5-yr OS)LDLT
Maximum diameter ≤ 5 cm-
AFP ≤ 500 ng/mL
Portal vein invasion
Seoul National University Hospital[43]PV tumor thrombus does not extend into the main PV11 patientsLDLT
64% (5-yr OS)
46% (5-yr RFS)
AFP × DCP score ≤ 20000 Additional risk factors for recurrence:
Tumor size > 7 cm
Preop. FDG-PET SUV ratio ≥ 2.1
Vp4 infiltration
Table 2 2007 Milan neuroendocrine tumor criteria[143]
Inclusion criteria
Histology G1/G2 neuroendocrine tumor with or without syndrome
Primary tumor drained by the portal system (pancreas and intermediate gut: from distal stomach to sigmoid colon)
Primary tumor removed with a curative resection (pretransplant removal of all extrahepatic tumor deposits) through surgical procedures separate from transplantation
Less than 50% tumor load in the liver parenchyma
Response to treatment or stable disease for at least 6 mo pretransplantation
Age younger than 55 yr (relative criteria)
Exclusion criteria
High-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas
General contraindications for liver transplantation, including previous tumors
Non-gastrointestinal NET or tumors not drained by the portal system