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Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignant tumor of the liver. Liver transplantation is the best treatment for HCC; it improves survival, cures cirrhosis, and abolishes local recurrence. We describe the outcomes of patients with HCC who underwent liver transplantation in two liver transplantation centers in Chile. Methods: This study is a clinical series elaborated from the liver transplantation database of Pontificia Universidad Católica and Clínica Alemana between 1993 and 2009. The survival of patients was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The significant alpha level was defined as <.05. Results: From 250 liver transplantations performed in this period, 29 were due to HCC. At the end of the study, 25 patients (86%) were alive. The mean recurrence-free survival was 30 months (range 5 months to 8 years). The 5-year survival for patients transplanted for HCC was >80%; however, the 5-year overall survival of patients who exceeded the Milan criteria in the explants was 66%. There was no difference in overall survival between patients transplanted for HCC versus other diagnosis (P = .548). Conclusion: This series confirmed that liver transplantation is a good treatment for patients with HCC within the Milan criteria. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is currently an established therapy for small, early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within the Milan criteria. Long waiting times due to the shortage of donor organs can result in tumor progression and drop-out from OLT candidacy. Therefore a wide variety of procedures are necessary before OLT. The aim of this retrospective study was to review our experience in relation to bridge therapy prior to OLT for HCC. Methods: This was a retrospective database review of all of the patient who underwent transplantation in our institutions between January 1993 and June 2009. We analyzed patients with a diagnosis of HCC in the explant. Results: Among 29 patients, including 12 who were diagnosed by the explant and 17 prior to transplantation, 88% underwent bridge therapy during a mean waiting time to OLT of 12 months. Among the 23 procedures, namely 1.5 procedures per patient, included most frequently chemoembolization (48%), alcohol ablation (30%), radiofrequency ablation (13%), and surgery (9%). Thirty-three percent of the explants contained lesions within the Milan criteria. In our series the 5-year survival rate for patients transplanted for HCC was 86%; in the bridge therapy group, it was 73%. Conclusions: The incidence of patients who underwent bridge therapy (52%) was similar to other reported experiences, but the fulfillment of Milan criteria in the explants was lower. Among the bridge therapy group, the survival was slightly lower, probably because this group displayed more advanced disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Steatotic livers have been associated with greater risk of allograft dysfunction in liver transplantation. Our aim was to determinate the prevalence of steatosis in grafts from deceased donors in Chile and to assess the utility of a protocol-bench biopsy as an outcome predictor of steatotic grafts in our transplant program., Material and Methods: We prospectively performed protocol-bench graft biopsies from March 2004 to January 2009. Biopsies were analyzed and classified by two independent pathologists. Steatosis severity was graded as normal from absent to < 6%; grade 1: 6-33%; grade 2: > 33-66% and grade 3: > 66%., Results: We analyzed 58 liver grafts from deceased donors. Twenty-nine grafts (50%) were steatotic; 9 of them (16%) with grade 3. Donor age (p < 0.001) and BMI over 25 kg/m 2 (p = 0.012) were significantly associated with the presence of steatosis. There were two primary non-functions (PNF); both in a grade 3 steatotic graft. The 3-year overall survival was lower among recipients with macrovesicular steatotic graft (57%) than recipients with microvesicular (85%) or non-steatotic grafts (95%) (p = 0.026)., Conclusion: Macrovesicular steatosis was associated with a poor outcome in this series. A protocol bench-biopsy would be useful to identify these grafts.

Background: Chile has the highest gallbladder cancer (GBC) death rate world-wide, affecting mainly Southern areas of the country., Aim: To compare the survival of GBC patients treated in hospitals located in areas with low and high risk for GBC., Material and Methods: Medical records of all patients with GBC admitted to one public hospital located in southern Chile, a public hospital and a private clinic, both located in Metropolitan Santiago, were reviewed. Cases were analyzed by age, sex, stage at diagnosis, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES) and rural residence. Survival was calculated using Kaplan Meier method., Results: A total of 598 cases (469 women), were analyzed. No differences in age or sex among hospitals were detected. At the moment of diagnosis, 75, 50 and 44% of cases from the hospital in southern Chile, the public hospital in Santiago and the private clinic in Santiago, were in stage IV, respectively. Five years survival was lower in the public hospital in southern Chile than in the public hospital in Santiago (10.7 and 14.4% respectively, p < 0.05) but not statistically different from the figure at the private clinic in Santiago (13.0%). However, when adjusting for stage at the moment of diagnosis, no difference in survival between the three hospitals, was found. The median days of survival were 1,559, 188, 70 and 69 for stages I, II, III and IV respectively., Conclusions: GBC mortality is high. The stage at the moment of diagnosis is only significant predictor of survival.