Cancer Institute

Liver transplantation may be an option for some patients with cirrhosis of the liver and primary liver cancer, which is also known as hepatocellular carcinoma.  With this aggressive treatment method, the entire liver containing the tumors is removed and replaced with a donated liver.  There is always the risk that cancer cells are still present elsewhere in the body and will implant themselves in the new liver or in other tissues.

This procedure is typically not available to patients whose tumors metastasized to the liver from other parts of the body, except in rare cases. 

The tumors must also fall within certain size criteria in order for the patient to be eligible for a liver transplant.  For those patients whose disease does not meet the size criteria, there are various treatment options available to down-size the tumors.  Techniques available at Allegheny General Hospital include stereotactic body radiotherapy, chemoembolization, Y-90 radioembolization, and combinations of these methods.  Please return to our main treatment page to learn more about each of these options.

Patients with cirrhosis of the liver who have not developed liver cancer are also candidates for liver transplantation.

Allegheny General Hospital also offers kidney, pancreas, and cardiac transplantation.

Feel free to contact our office at 412.359.6738 or 866.680.0004 to determine whether you or your loved one may be a candidate for liver transplantation or other therapies.