China's Leading Liver Transplant Program for Liver Cancer and Liver Failure
For patients with advanced liver cancer, end-stage liver disease, or acute liver failure, liver transplantation offers the only potential cure — replacing the diseased liver with a healthy donor organ and eliminating the cancer simultaneously. Shanghai's Huashan Hospital is home to China's highest-volume adult liver transplant program, led by a surgeon who has personally performed over 3,100 liver transplants across his career.
Featured Specialist: Dr. Wang Zhengxin (王正昕)
Dr. Wang Zhengxin is Director of the Liver Transplant Center at Huashan Hospital, Fudan University (Fudan Daxue Fushu Huashan Yiyuan) — one of China's most prestigious academic medical centers, affiliated with Fudan University's renowned medical school.
His clinical record is exceptional:
- Over 3,100 liver transplants personally performed — one of the highest individual surgical volumes for liver transplantation in the world
- His team's adult liver transplant volume in 2023 ranked first in China — the highest-volume adult liver transplant program in the country
- Deep expertise in liver cancer (HCC) liver transplantation — including post-transplant recurrence prevention and management
- Specialized experience in acute liver failure liver transplantation — one of the most technically and logistically demanding scenarios in transplant surgery
Liver Transplantation for Liver Cancer (HCC)
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) — the most common form of primary liver cancer — frequently arises in the setting of chronic liver disease (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cirrhosis, or NAFLD). For selected patients, liver transplantation offers a unique advantage over other treatments: it simultaneously removes the cancer and the diseased liver tissue that would otherwise give rise to new tumors.
Who Is a Candidate for Liver Transplant for HCC?
- Patients meeting Milan Criteria (single tumor ≤5 cm, or up to 3 tumors each ≤3 cm, no vascular invasion, no extrahepatic spread) — the international standard for transplant eligibility
- Patients meeting expanded criteria (UCSF criteria, Hangzhou criteria) — Dr. Wang's team evaluates patients who fall outside Milan Criteria on a case-by-case basis using validated expanded criteria
- Patients who have been downstaged to transplant eligibility through locoregional therapy (TACE, ablation, SBRT) — Dr. Wang's team coordinates with interventional radiology and radiation oncology for bridging and downstaging protocols
- Patients with HCC on cirrhosis where the underlying liver disease makes resection high-risk
Post-Transplant HCC Recurrence Prevention
One of Dr. Wang's areas of particular expertise is preventing and managing HCC recurrence after liver transplantation — a critical challenge since immunosuppression required to prevent organ rejection can also promote tumor growth. His protocols include:
- mTOR inhibitor-based immunosuppression (sirolimus, everolimus) — which simultaneously prevents rejection and has anti-tumor properties
- Adjuvant sorafenib or lenvatinib for high-risk patients
- Surveillance imaging protocols for early detection of recurrence
- Salvage treatment strategies for post-transplant HCC recurrence
Liver Transplantation for Acute Liver Failure
Acute liver failure (ALF) — sudden, severe loss of liver function in a patient without pre-existing liver disease — is a medical emergency with high mortality without transplantation. Causes include drug-induced liver injury (including herbal medicines), viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, and Wilson's disease. Dr. Wang's team has extensive experience in:
- Emergency liver transplantation for acute liver failure — requiring rapid donor organ procurement, patient stabilization, and surgical execution under extreme time pressure
- Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) — using a portion of a living donor's liver when a deceased donor organ is not available in time
- Artificial liver support systems as a bridge to transplantation — maintaining patients alive while awaiting a donor organ
- Post-transplant intensive care for the most critically ill patients
Complex Hepatobiliary Tumors
Beyond HCC, Dr. Wang's team manages the full spectrum of complex hepatobiliary malignancies:
- Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC): Primary bile duct cancer arising within the liver; surgical resection or transplantation for selected cases
- Hilar cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin tumor): Bile duct cancer at the liver hilum; highly complex surgery requiring expertise in biliary reconstruction
- Combined HCC-cholangiocarcinoma: Rare mixed tumors requiring specialized pathological and surgical expertise
- Hepatic metastases: Liver metastases from colorectal cancer and other primaries; resection or transplantation for selected cases
- Gallbladder cancer: Radical cholecystectomy with liver resection and lymph node dissection
About Huashan Hospital
Huashan Hospital is one of China's most prestigious academic medical centers, affiliated with Fudan University School of Medicine. It is nationally designated as a key center for neurosurgery, organ transplantation, and infectious diseases, and its liver transplant program operates within a comprehensive hepatology and oncology ecosystem that includes hepatology, interventional radiology, medical oncology, and pathology.
How CMCS Coordinates Your Care
China Medical Concierge Shanghai (CMCS) is a health management company — not a hospital. We connect international patients with Shanghai's leading liver transplant and hepatobiliary surgeons, including Dr. Wang Zhengxin at Huashan Hospital, and manage every step of the process:
- Review of existing liver imaging (MRI, CT, ultrasound), tumor markers (AFP, CA19-9), liver function tests, and viral hepatitis status
- Transplant eligibility assessment coordination with Dr. Wang's team
- Coordination of living donor evaluation if applicable
- Appointment scheduling with priority access
- Medical interpretation during consultations and multidisciplinary team discussions
- Logistics support: accommodation, visa assistance, and local transport
- Post-transplant follow-up coordination and remote monitoring
Get in Touch
If you or a family member has liver cancer, end-stage liver disease, or acute liver failure and are exploring liver transplantation in Shanghai, contact our team for a confidential consultation.
📧 contract@medicalsh.com
💬 WhatsApp: https://wa.me/message/3AM6KAGCW2BAD1
🌐 www.medicalsh.com
0 則留言