Abstract
Neuroendocrine tumors are slow-growing tumors and associated with prolonged overall
survival even in the presence of untreated liver metastases. The presence of liver
metastases may be responsible for severe symptoms with impairment of quality of life.
Liver resection has been proposed to achieve better symptom control and/or improve
overall survival, but this concerns less than 20% of patients with liver metastases.
In addition, the chance to be really cured after liver resection is around 40%, which
prompts consideration of liver transplantation as the only potential curative treatment.
Time has come to move beyond the traditional debate around the best candidates and
prognostic factors for liver transplantation. This review gives the opportunity to
discuss new insights: (1) outcome of liver transplantation for neuroendocrine liver
metastases as compared with hepatocellular carcinoma, (2) outcome of salvage liver
transplantation as a secondary procedure after surgical resection of neuroendocrine
liver metastases, (3) outcome of palliative liver transplantation for neuroendocrine
liver metastases, and (4) the chance to be cured after liver transplantation for neuroendocrine
liver metastases.
Keywords
liver transplantation - neuroendocrine tumors - liver metastases
