Scientists from UK HealthCare found new hope and options for older patients with liver cancer
The research is published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons and was conducted by Malay Shah et al.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is cancer that starts in the liver, most often in the setting of cirrhosis, and when found early enough, can be treated with different therapies.
The optimal therapy for these early-stage HCCs is liver transplantation. Unfortunately, the need for donated livers far exceeds the demand.
Many factors are considered when any given patient is being considered for a liver transplant.
Surgical outcomes data has shown that older patients have overall poorer outcomes compared to younger patients. This is due, in part, to pre-existing health issues in older patients.
More specifically, transplants are invasive and complicated procedures that require extensive post-surgical care and follow-up.
The risk for complications is high, and older people are particularly susceptible. As a result, fewer elderly patients with HCC are considered as candidates for transplant.
In the study, researchers examined patients over the age of 70 with a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and how the outcomes of ablative treatments compare to liver transplants.
During the study period, 214 patients age 70 or older with stage I or II HCC who received a liver transplant were identified and compared to 2,377 patients in the same age group who received ablation as destination therapy.
This was the first head-to-head comparison of liver transplant vs. non-transplant outcomes for HCC in elderly patients
The team showed that patients over 70 years of age still had a very big survival benefit from transplants compared to receiving ablative therapy alone and that transplants should still be offered to suitable older people.
Liver transplantation remains the standard of care for patients with HCC, regardless of age.
If you care about liver health, please read studies about simple habits that can give you a healthy liver, and this drug could help protect against liver damage and obesity.
For more information about liver health, please see recent studies about how sugary beverages affect the liver, and results showing time-restricted eating may protect your liver health, and blood sugar.
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