Repeat liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma complicating primary biliary cirrhosis.

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicating primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is between 0.7% and 16%. Repeat liver resection for recurrent HCC complicating PBC is not usually performed and not published because this approach is not generally applicable due to liver dysfunction. We applied repeat liver resection for these diseases. Three patients were diagnosed with PBC. The first HCC was noted at a mean of 6 years (4-17 years) after diagnosis of PBC. The second HCC occurred at a mean of 2.5 years (0.4-3 years) after the first surgery. All patients were treated with curative resection on first and second surgery. The mean overall survival time after the first liver resection was 46 months. Repeat liver resection for recurrent HCC complicating PBC is an option and may improve the outcome.