Resection of Metachronous Adrenal Metastasis after Liver Resection and Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND: This study analyzed the patient survival outcomes following the resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metachronous adrenal metastasis (MAM) in patients who had undergone liver resection or liver transplantation (LT). METHODS: Clinical results were analyzed retrospectively in 26 patients with MAM-HCC who underwent adrenalectomy. RESULTS: The mean interval between initial surgery and adrenalectomy was significantly shorter in the resection group than in the LT group (18.3 ± 14.4 vs. 42.6 ± 13.8 months, p < 0.001). Of 19 resected patients, four had adrenal metastases on the right side, 12 on the left side and three bilaterally, with a mean tumor diameter of 3.6 ± 1.5 cm. Ten of these patients underwent open surgery and nine underwent laparoscopic surgery; all patients experienced recurrences within 18 months and 20.3% survived 5 years after adrenalectomy. Of 7 patients who underwent LT, four had adrenal metastases on the right side and three on the left side, with a mean tumor diameter of 3.4 ± 1.8 cm. Six of these patients underwent open surgery and one underwent laparoscopic surgery. Five-year recurrence and patient survival rates after adrenalectomy were 28.6 and 85.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Adrenalectomy is indicated in patients with isolated MAM-HCC. Comparisons with other locoregional treatment modalities and multicenter studies with additional patients are needed to validate the role of adrenalectomy.