Objective: Although the most effective current treatment method for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is liver transplantation (LT), some patients may have a recurrence of HCC after transplantation. In our study, we investigated the laboratory and histopathological factors that we think may predict HCC recurrence before and after transplantation in patients who underwent LT due to HCC.

Methods: Pre and post transplantation clinical, laboratory, imaging and histopathological data of 66 patients who underwent LT for HCC approximately 2017-2020 in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The patients who developed recurrence were examined in detail.

Results: Recurrence developed in seven (10.61%) of 66 patients who underwent LT due to HCC. The mean age of the patients with and without relapse was 60.14 and 58.63 years, respectively. Most patients who underwent LT were men, and all patients with recurrence were men. In patients with recurrence, maximum tumor diameter measured macroscopically (5 cm; 2.7 cm, p=0.002) and presence of lymphovascular invasion (42.9%; 10.2%, p=0.048) were significantly higher than those without recurrence. Serum alpha feto protein (AFP) values at postoperative 3rd, 6th, and 9th months were significantly higher (p=0.001, p=0.004, p<0.001, respectively) in the recurrence group.

Conclusion: In our study, it was determined that increasing perioperative tumor size, presence of lymphovascular invasion and postoperative increased AFP values can predict HCC recurrence.