Huntsman Cancer Institute provides world-class care for patients seeking cancer treatment. As the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Mountain West, we are dedicated to ensuring our patients heal as quickly as possible by using the most advanced methods and innovative, state-of-the-art technology.
In collaborative partnership with University of Utah Health, we are a nationally top-ranked transplant program. Our liver transplant oncology specialists are leaders in research, including clinical trials, and help develop protocols for standards of care nationwide.
Your Dedicated Care Team
When patients are seen and treated at Huntsman Cancer Institute, they are in the best hands. Our multidisciplinary specialists use a team approach. Together, we review each individual patient’s case, coordinate treatment, and plan follow-up care. Your team includes the following:
- Liver transplant surgeon
- Hepatologist
- Medical oncologist
- Radiation specialists
- Diagnostic providers, such as pathologists and radiologists
- Nurses, physician assistants, social workers, and physical and occupational therapists
Find a Liver Transplant Oncology Provider
Reasons for Liver Transplant Surgery
In a liver transplant, the whole liver is removed and replaced with a healthy donated liver. Liver transplant is one of several options to treat cancer of the liver. These are some reasons why your care team may recommend a transplant:
- Other treatments not effective: Liver cancer is not responding well to chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, embolization, or ablation.
- Tumor size or location: Liver tumor is too large to be removed or treated, or the tumor is in a place where surgery would hurt liver function.
- Advanced cancer: Liver cancer has progressed to a late stage or there is a very high chance of the tumor coming back, called recurrent.
- Metastasis to the liver: Another type of cancer has progressed and moved into the liver.
- Other liver disease: An existing disease such as cirrhosis, hepatitis B or C, or a genetic condition is severe and causing liver damage or failure.
Liver Cancer Transplant Surgery: What to Expect
Before recommending a liver transplant, the care team carefully considers all of the following:
- A person’s overall health
- Tumor features
- Available donor organ
- Ability to safely have and recover from surgery
- Ability to take needed medications long-term
Learn more about liver cancer transplant, including evaluation, pre- and post-surgery processes, and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waitlist.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials at Huntsman Cancer Institute test new ways to treat, diagnose, and manage symptoms and side effects of liver cancer.
