Ten years survival with excellent outcome after living donor liver transplantation from 70 years old donor for primary hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma: Case report

Abstract

BACKGROUNDPrimary hepatic carcinoid tumors (PHCT) are rare entities; they are even rarer than extrahepatic neuroendocrine gastrointestinal tumors with only about 95 cases reported in the literature. An extrahepatic primary tumor must be excluded to confirm the diagnosis of PHCT. CASE PRESENTATIONWe report a case of a 42-year-old male patient with a primary hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma, who successfully underwent living donor liver transplantation from his 70 years old mother with 10 years follow-up. Both donor and recipient are still alive and in the good health. CONCLUSIONLiving liver donation from elderly donors for the patients with irresectable neuroendocrine liver malignancies can be as safe as deceased donation or liver donation from young donors (age<50). Living donation from elderly donors might significantly expand the donor pool for patients with liver neuroendocrine tumors (NET) and potentially reduce waiting list mortality. Especially young patients with irresectable NET can benefit from this option. However, case–control studies are needed to verify the advantage of living liver transplantation (LDLT) for the patients with irresectable liver NET and to define selection criteria for these patients.