Transforming Liver Transplantation: Breakthroughs and Boundaries

A special issue of Livers (ISSN 2673-4389).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 284

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Division of Transplant Surgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Interests: advanced organ preservation and graft reconditioning; biomarkers of organ quality and cell-free DNA diagnostics; evidence-based and personalized transplant practice; transplant oncology; innovation and access in liver transplantation

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Transplant Surgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Interests: organ preservation; graft therapy; biomarkers of organ injury; transplant outcomes; extended criteria organs

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Liver transplantation has undergone profound advancements over recent decades, evolving from a rare, experimental procedure into a life-saving standard of care for patients with end-stage liver disease and select malignancies. This Special Issue, “Transforming Liver Transplantation: Breakthroughs and Boundaries”, aims to highlight the latest innovations, challenges, and evolving paradigms shaping the future of the field.

We invite contributions that explore cutting-edge scientific discoveries, novel surgical techniques, advances in organ preservation, and improvements in immunosuppression and patient management. Equally important are studies addressing the persistent barriers to broader access and equitable allocation of liver transplants worldwide, including ethical dilemmas, organ scarcity, and socioeconomic disparities.

Authors are encouraged to submit original research, comprehensive reviews, and expert perspectives that not only celebrate milestones but also critically examine the limits currently confronting liver transplantation. Through this collection, we seek to foster a multidisciplinary dialogue that bridges basic science, clinical practice, and health policy, ultimately driving progress and expanding the impact of liver transplantation.

Join us in advancing the frontier of liver transplant medicine by contributing your insights to this timely and impactful Special Issue.

Dr. Narendra R. Battula
Dr. Paulo Martins
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • liver transplantation
  • organ preservation
  • translational research
  • machine perfusion
  • biomarkers in transplantation
  • donor organ utilization
  • access to transplantation
  • innovation in transplant surgery
  • evidence-based transplant practice
  • multidisciplinary transplant care

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

16 pages, 312 KB  
Review
Transplant vs. Resection for Non-HCC Malignancies of the Liver
by Sibi Krishna Thiyagarajan, Arielle Jacover, Alfredo Verastegui, Katherine Poruk and John A. Stauffer
Livers 2025, 5(4), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/livers5040064 - 5 Dec 2025
Abstract
Background: Surgical resection (SR) and liver transplantation (LT) are the main curative options for non-hepatocellular carcinoma (non-HCC) liver malignancies, including colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), hilar cholangiocarcinoma (hCCA), and neuroendocrine tumor liver metastases (NETLMs). Resection aims for negative margins and adequate [...] Read more.
Background: Surgical resection (SR) and liver transplantation (LT) are the main curative options for non-hepatocellular carcinoma (non-HCC) liver malignancies, including colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), hilar cholangiocarcinoma (hCCA), and neuroendocrine tumor liver metastases (NETLMs). Resection aims for negative margins and adequate hepatic reserve, while LT offers treatment for unresectable disease but is limited by donor scarcity, immunosuppression, and ethical constraints. Methods: A targeted literature search (2005–2025) was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar with predefined MeSH terms combining “liver resection,” “hepatectomy,” and “liver transplantation” across non-HCC malignancies. Relevant studies, reviews, and guidelines were included. Results: For CRLMs, SR remains standard with 5-year overall survival (OS) up to 58%, while LT offers 60–83% in highly selected unresectable cases. In iCCA, resection achieves median survival around 40 months, and LT yields OS up to 69% in very early or neoadjuvant-controlled disease. For hCCA, the Mayo protocol combining neoadjuvant therapy with LT provides 5-year OS of 65–80%. In NETLMs, LT achieves 63–97% OS under strict criteria. Conclusions: SR remains first-line for resectable non-HCC malignancies, while LT provides superior outcomes in unresectable yet biologically favorable disease, emphasizing careful selection and organ allocation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Liver Transplantation: Breakthroughs and Boundaries)
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