Predictors of survival following liver transplantation for pediatric hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma: Experience from the Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation (SPLIT)

Management of unresectable pediatric hepatoblastoma (HB) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains challenging. The Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation (SPLIT) database was used to study survival predictors in pediatric liver transplantation (LT) for HB and HCC. Event‐free survival (EFS), associated risk factors, and postoperative complications were studied in children requiring LT for HB/HCC at 16 SPLIT centers. Three‐year EFS was 81% for HB (n = 157) and 62% for HCC (n = 18) transplants. Of HB transplants, 6.9% were PRETEXT II and 15.3% were POST‐TEXT I/II. Tumor extent did not impact survival (p = NS). Salvage (n = 13) and primary HB transplants had similar 3‐year EFS (62% versus 78%, p = NS). Among HCC transplants, 3‐year EFS was poorer in older patients (38% in ≥8‐year‐olds vs 86%