The “No-touch” technique improves the survival of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinomas treated by liver transplantation: A single-center prospective randomized controlled trial

Background:Liver transplantation(LT)is the best treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,the surgical technique needs to be improved.The present study aimed to evaluate the“no-touch”technique in LT.Methods:From January 2018 to December 2019,we performed a prospective randomized controlled trial on HCC patients who underwent LT.The patients were randomized into two groups:a no-touch technique LT group(NT group,n=38)and a conventional LT technique group(CT group,n=46).Operative outcomes and survival in the two groups were analyzed.Results:The perioperative parameters were comparable between the two groups(P>0.05).There was no significant difference between the two groups in disease-free survival(DFS)(P=0.732)or overall survival(OS)(P=0.891).Of 36 patients who were beyond the Hangzhou criteria for LT,the DFS of the patients in the NT group was significantly longer than that in the CT group(median 402 vs.126 days,P=0.025).In 31 patients who had portal vein tumor thrombosis(PVTT),DFS and OS in the NT group were significantly better than those in the CT group(median DFS 420 vs.167 days,P=0.022;2-year OS rate 93.8%vs.66.7%,P=0.043).In 14 patients who had diffuse-type HCCs,DFS and OS were significantly better in the NT group than those in the CT group(median DFS 141 vs.56 days,P=0.008;2-year OS rate 75.0%vs.33.3%,P=0.034).Multivariate analysis showed that for patients with PVTT and diffusetype HCCs,the no-touch technique was an independent favorable factor for OS(PVTT:HR=0.018,95%CI:0.001-0.408,P=0.012;diffuse-type HCCs:HR=0.034,95%CI:0.002-0.634,P=0.024).Conclusions:The no-touch technique improved the survival of patients with advanced HCC compared with the conventional technique.The no-touch technique may provide a new and effective LT technique for advanced HCCs.