Hepatology : official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
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Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing (OPTN/UNOS) policy mandates a 6-month waiting period before exception scores are granted to liver transplant candidates with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to evaluate waitlist and posttransplant outcomes in patients with HCC, before and after implementation of the 6-month waiting rule. ⋯ The HCC policy change was associated with decreased waitlist mortality/dropout and increased transplant probability. The policy helped to decrease but did not eliminate regional disparities in transplant opportunity without an effect on posttransplant outcomes.