Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Breaks New Ground with Liver Transplant for Colorectal Liver Metastases

● The pioneering transplant was performed on a 40-year-old patient from Jordan, diagnosed with colon cancer in 2019 ● Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has performed over 900 transplant procedures, with over 360 liver transplants since 2017 including 100 liver transplants in 2024 alone

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. August 25, 2025: Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has performed a liver transplant for colorectal liver metastases, marking a new frontier in cancer and transplant care for the region. Colorectal cancer remains one of the most common cancers in the UAE, with a rising incidence in younger patients. This milestone reflects Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s commitment to offering cutting-edge solutions to some of the most difficult cancer challenges.

The pioneering transplant was carried out on a 40-year-old international patient from Jordan whose cancer, initially diagnosed as colon cancer in 2019, had spread to the liver and proved unresponsive to conventional treatments.

Over the years, the patient underwent multiple liver metastasis surgeries in Jordan and Germany, but the cancer continued to recur. With the disease confined to the liver, and after exhausting standard treatment options, he was referred to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Upon evaluation, he met the stringent criteria for this highly selective and innovative procedure, guided by international best practices such as the Oslo criteria, which is a benchmark developed by transplant surgeons in Norway to identify suitable candidates for liver transplantation in cases of colorectal liver metastases.

Shedding light on the case, Dr. Georges-Pascal Haber, Chief Executive Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: “The case exemplifies how Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is consistently redefining what’s possible in-patient care. By introducing advanced, highly specialized treatments to the region, we’re not only improving outcomes, we’re offering new hope to patients facing some of the rarest and most complex conditions. Through the seamless integration of transplant and oncology expertise, we are establishing a model of care that brings world-class innovation and life-changing results to the UAE and beyond.”

Led by Dr. Giuseppe Iuppa, Staff Physician, Abdominal Transplant, Digestive Disease Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and a multidisciplinary team from departments including oncology, transplant, radiology and critical care, the complex procedure highlights the hospital’s growing role in reshaping the future of transplant oncology.

The patient had previously undergone two major liver resections, removing over 40 metastic tumors. Despite these efforts the cancer continued to return, and further surgery would have left him with an insufficient portion of functional liver. Upon referral to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a multidisciplinary team of experts conducted a thorough evaluation of his case and determined that the cancer was confined exclusively to the liver. With no evidence of cancer elsewhere in the body, the team recommended a liver transplant, an option reserved for the most carefully selected patients.

Following the transplant, the patient experienced organ rejection, a known but serious complication. However, with swift and precise medical intervention, the team was able to successfully treat the rejection and stabilize the patient.

Explaining the patient’s condition, Dr. Giuseppe Iuppa said: “The patient’s cancer had already recurred multiple times despite undergoing extensive surgeries and chemotherapy. While chemotherapy can control the disease for a period, it often reaches a point where it becomes ineffective, and the cancer starts progressing again. In this case, surgery was no longer an option, the metastases were so widespread that further resection would have left too little of the liver for the patient to survive. That’s where the evolving field of transplant oncology opens a new door. By combining transplant science with cancer treatment, we were able to offer this patient a chance at long-term survival, even when all standard options had been exhausted. This is a powerful example of how innovation and multidisciplinary care can reshape what we thought was possible in oncology.”

The patient made a full recovery and was discharged in excellent condition and is currently cancer-free. While the risk of recurrence remains, outcomes for carefully selected patients undergoing liver transplantation for colorectal liver metastases are significantly improved.

Expressing it as a pivotal milestone for the region, Dr. Luis Campos, Staff Physician, Abdominal Transplant, Digestive Disease Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi said: “It reflects our commitment to advancing complex care and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in transplantation. Today, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s first multi-organ transplant center, is ranked among one of the top transplant centers globally, having performed over 100 liver transplants in 2024, and a total of 360 liver transplants since the launch of the program in 2017- an accomplishment achieved by only a select few institutions worldwide.”

He continued by saying: “These remarkable outcomes are only made possible through ongoing support from the Hayat initiative, national bilateral agreements and seamless coordination with local health authorities, and most importantly the generosity of donor families. Thanks to this supportive and advanced ecosystem, we are only able to cater to residents of the UAE but also to international patients when they are found to be compatible with available organs. With nearly a quarter of our transplant patients traveling from outside the UAE, we are proud to serve as a regional hub for hope and healing. Every successful transplant represents not just a second chance at life, but a family reunited and a powerful step forward in cross border collaboration.”

As it celebrates a decade of healthcare excellence, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi continues to expand its multi-organ transplant program, supported by a highly specialized team, including certified transplant coordinators and the only heart failure-certified nurse outside North America. As home to the UAE’s first ICU for combined solid organ transplants and the nation’s only lung transplant center, the hospital remains at the forefront of medical excellence. With every life saved, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi reinforces its leadership in transplantation, driving innovation and transforming lives across the world.

Visit the hospital to register as a donor at the booth, and to know more about the Transplant Center, visit https://www.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae/en/institutes-and-specialties/transplant-center/pages/default.aspx

To book an appointment at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, call 800 8 CCAD (2223) visit https://www.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae/en/pages/default.aspx or download the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Patient Portal App.