Gallbladder cancer involving the extrahepatic bile duct is worthy of resection. Ann Surg. 2011;253:953-960. [PMID: 21490453 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0b013e318216f5f3]

Value of E-PASS models for predicting postoperative morbidity and mortality in resection of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma

BACKGROUND

It has previously been reported that a general risk model, Estimation of Physiologic Ability and Surgical Stress (E-PASS), and its modified version, mE-PASS, had a high predictive power for postoperative mortality and morbidity in a variety of gastrointestinal surgeries. This study evaluated their utilities in proximal biliary carcinoma resection.

METHODS

E-PASS variables were collected in patients undergoing resection of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma in Japanese referral hospitals.

RESULTS

Analysis of 125 patients with gallbladder cancer and 97 patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (n = 222). Fifty-six patients (25%) underwent liver resection with either hemihepatectomy or extended hemihepatectomy. The E-PASS models showed a high discrimination power to predict in-hospital mortality; areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (95% confidence intervals) were 0.85 (0.76-0.94) for E-PASS and 0.82 (0.73-0.91) for mE-PASS. The predicted mortality rates correlated with the severity of postoperative complications (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient: ρ = 0.51, P < 0.001 for E-PASS; ρ = 0.47, P < 0.001 for mE-PASS).

CONCLUSIONS

The E-PASS models examined herein may accurately predict postoperative morbidity and mortality in proximal biliary carcinoma resection. These models will be useful for surgical decision-making, informed consent, and risk adjustments in surgical audits.

The value of preoperative screening colonoscopies in patients with biliary tract cancer

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of preoperative screening colonoscopies in patients with biliary tract cancer.

METHODS

A total of 544 patients with biliary tract cancer who underwent preoperative screening colonoscopies between January 2005 and December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

Synchronous colorectal neoplasia was detected in 199 patients (36.7 %), with adenocarcinomas detected in 21 (3.9 %) patients, carcinoids in two (0.4 %) patients, and adenomas in 176 (32.4 %) patients. Of those with adenomas, 32 patients were diagnosed with advanced adenomas, defined as adenomas with a maximum diameter of >1 cm, villous histology, or high-grade dysplasia because these characteristics implied the risk of malignant transformation. Fifty-five (10.1 %) of the patients with colorectal neoplasia required resection (11 surgical and 44 endoscopic resections). There were no major adverse events related to the resection. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that smoking status [ex-smoker + current smoker vs. non-smoker: odds ratio (OR) 2.32; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.30-4.21] and advanced age (≥70 vs. ≤69 years: OR 2.22; 95 % CI 1.24-3.91) were independent risk factors of having a colorectal neoplasia that required resection.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with biliary tract cancer, preoperative screening colonoscopy was feasible and provided valuable clinical information. Synchronous colorectal neoplasia was detected in a substantial number of patients. Preoperative screening colonoscopies should be considered especially in high-risk patients such as smokers and elderly patients.

Combined extrahepatic bile duct resection for locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma: does it work?

BACKGROUND

Prophylactic combined extrahepatic bile duct resection remains controversial for locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma without extrahepatic bile duct invasion. The aim of this study is to resolve this issue and establish an appropriate surgery for locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma.

METHODS

A total of 52 patients underwent surgical resection combined with extrahepatic bile duct resection for locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma without extrahepatic bile duct invasion, and their medical records were retrospectively reviewed for microvessel invasion (MVI), including lymphatic, venous, and/or perineural invasions, around the extrahepatic bile duct.

RESULTS

Of the 52 patients, 8 (15 %) had MVI around the extrahepatic bile duct. All of the 8 patients had Stage IV disease. According to a survival analysis of the 50 patients who tolerated surgery, MVIs around the extrahepatic bile duct and distant metastasis were identified as independent prognostic factors. Survival for patients with MVI around the extrahepatic bile duct was dismal, with a lack of 2-year survivors.

CONCLUSIONS

MVI around the extrahepatic bile duct is a sign of extremely locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma; therefore, prophylactic combined bile duct resection has no survival impact for patients without extrahepatic bile duct invasion.

Is combined pancreatoduodenectomy for advanced gallbladder cancer justified?

BACKGROUND

The clinical impact of combined pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for advanced gallbladder cancer remains unclear.

METHODS

A total of 96 patients who underwent resection for stage II, III, or IV gallbladder cancer were enrolled. Patients with lower bile duct involvement, pancreatic or duodenal infiltration, or peripancreatic lymph node metastasis were considered candidates for combined PD. The operative outcomes were compared between the patients treated with PD (PD group, n = 21) and those treated without PD (non-PD group, n = 75), and between those treated with major hepatopancreatoduodenectomy (major HPD group, n = 9) and those treated with major hepatectomy (major hepatectomy group, n = 20).

RESULTS

Overall morbidity in the PD group was greater than that in the non-PD group (81% vs 23%, P < .001), whereas the overall survival (OS) was comparable between the groups (5-year OS; 39.8% vs 46.7%, P = .96). There was no in-hospital mortality in the PD group. A serum albumin <3.0 g/dL (P = .004) and tumor size ≥ 9.0 cm (P = .029) were associated independently with a poor prognosis in the PD group. Overall morbidity in the major HPD group was greater than that in the major hepatectomy group (89% vs 40%, P = .014), whereas the OS was comparable between the groups (5-year OS; 34.6% vs 21.1%, P = .57), and the OS of major HPD group was better than that of unresectable group (n = 18, P = .017).

CONCLUSION

Combined PD, including major HPD, is beneficial for selected patients of advanced gallbladder cancer; however, the indications should be carefully evaluated because of greater morbidity rates.

Extra-Hepatic Bile Duct Resection: an Insight in the Management of Gallbladder Cancer

BACKGROUND

Involvement of extrahepatic bile duct in gallbladder cancer (GBC) is considered a sign of advanced disease; resection of extrahepatic bile duct in GBC has been a contentious issue considering the poor prognosis of the disease.

METHODS

This retrospective study was done in two tertiary teaching hospitals of North India. The case records of all the GBC patients who underwent radical cholecystectomy with extra-hepatic bile duct resection were reviewed. Details concerning the clinical presentation, preoperative therapy, operative procedure, indication of bile duct resection, postoperative complications and outcome were retrieved from the case records. Kaplan-Meier analysis was done to estimate median disease-free survival and overall survival.

RESULTS

There were 17 GBC patients who underwent radical cholecystectomy with resection of extrahepatic bile duct. Median age of the patients was 51 years (range 35-62); male to female ratio was 5:12. Six patients were diagnosed after histopathological examination of resected gallbladder specimen following cholecystectomy (incidental gallbladder cancer). All the patients had R'0' resection. The indication for extra-hepatic bile duct resection was direct infiltration of hepatoduodenal ligament in nine, positive cystic duct margin in two, densely adherent pericholedochal lymphnodes in one and associated ampullary growth in one patient. Kaplan-Meier analysis predicted median disease-free survival of 20 months and median overall survival of 26 months.

CONCLUSION

Extrahepatic bile duct resection to achieve R'0' resection in the management of advanced gallbladder cancer is safe with acceptable postoperative morbidity and has potential to improve survival.

Surgery for Recurrent Biliary Tract Cancer: A Single-center Experience With 74 Consecutive Resections

OBJECTIVE

To review our experiences with surgery for recurrent biliary tract cancer (BTC).

BACKGROUND

Few studies have reported on surgical procedures for recurrent BTC; therefore, it is unclear whether this surgery has survival benefit.

METHODS

Between 1991 and 2010, 606 patients had recurrences after resection of BTC (gallbladder cancer, n = 135; cholangiocarcinoma, n = 471); 74 patients underwent resection for recurrence, whereas the remaining 532 did not. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

Compared with the 532 patients without surgery for recurrence, the 74 patients with surgery had less advanced cancer, and their time to recurrence was significantly longer (1.4 vs 0.8 years; P < 0.001). A total of 89 surgical procedures for recurrence were performed in the 74 patients (1 time in 63 and ≥2 times in 11). Survival after recurrence was significantly better in the 74 patients with surgery than in the 532 without (32% vs 3% at 3 years; P < 0.001). Survival after surgery for recurrence was (1) similar between gallbladder cancer and cholangiocarcinoma; (2) significantly better in patients with initial disease-free interval of 2 or more years; (3) significantly worse in patients with chest or abdominal wall recurrences; and (4) significantly better in patients with pN0 disease in their primary cancer. Nodal status of the primary tumor and the site of initial recurrence were identified as independent prognostic factors after surgery for recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical resection for recurrent BTC can be performed safely and offers a better chance of long-term survival in selected patients.

Gallbladder neck cancer and perihilar cholangiocarcinoma - siblings, cousins or look alikes?

The gallbladder neck cancer and perihilar cholangiocarcinoma present as painless progressive surgical obstructive jaundice. Sometimes it becomes difficult to differentiate between them even on cross-sectional imaging studies including computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Staging laparoscopy and positron emission tomography may be useful in detecting metastases in gallbladder neck cancer, but are not recommended in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. Most patients with gallbladder neck cancer and perihilar cholangiocarcinoma require preoperative biliary drainage. The differentiation is, however, important because their behavior and prognosis are totally different. Gallbladder neck cancer is biologically aggressive, thus long-term surviver are rare even after major resection. On the other hand, perihilar cholangiocarcinoma is often less aggressive and major proceduresresections are justified. Gallbladder neck cancer and perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, though not siblings, they tend to look alike sometimes.

Lymph node metastases in patients undergoing surgery for a gallbladder cancer. Extension of the lymph node dissection and prognostic value of the lymph node ratio

BACKGROUND

Lymph node (LN) status is one of the strongest prognostic factors after gallbladder cancer (GBC) resection. The adequate extension of LN dissection and the stratification of the prognosis in N+ patients have been debated. The present study aims to clarify these issues.

METHODS

A total of 112 consecutive patients who underwent operations for GBC with LN dissection were analyzed. Twenty-five patients (22.3%) had D1 dissection (hepatic pedicle), and 87 (77.7%) had D2 dissection (hepatic pedicle, celiac and retro-pancreatic area). The LN ratio (LNR) was computed as follows: number of metastatic LNs/number of retrieved LNs.

RESULTS

The median number of retrieved LNs was 7 (1-35). Fifty-nine patients (52.7%) had LN metastases (22 N2). D2 dissection allowed the retrieval of more LNs (8 vs. 3, p = 0.0007), with similar short-term outcomes. Common bile duct (CBD) resection (n = 41) did not increase the number of retrieved LNs. In five patients, D2 dissection identified skip LN metastases that otherwise would have been missed. LN metastases negatively impacted survival (5-years survival 57.2% if N0 vs. 12.4% if N+, p < 0.0001), but N1 and N2 patients had similar survival rates. The number of LN+ (1-3 vs. ≥4) did not impact prognosis. An LNR = 0.15 stratified the prognosis of N+ patients: 5-years survival 32.7% if LNR ≤ 0.15 vs. 10.3% if LNR > 0.15 (multivariate analysis p = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

A D2 LN dissection is recommended in all patients, because it allows for better staging. CBD resection does not improve LN dissection. An LNR = 0.15, not the site of metastatic LNs, stratified the prognoses of N+ patients.

Surgery for recurrent biliary carcinoma: results for 27 recurrent cases

Background

Various chemotherapies have been used as best practice to treat recurrent biliary malignancies. Conversely, relatively few surgeries have been described for recurrent extrahepatic biliary carcinoma (RExBC), so whether surgery for RExBC is feasible has remained unclear. This retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of surgery for RExBC.

Methods

From February 2000 to January 2014, a total of 27 patients, comprising 18 patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and 9 patients with gallbladder carcinoma, met our criteria for radical resection of RExBC (resection group). Sites of recurrence consisted of liver metastases (ten patients), local/percutaneous transhepatic cholangio drainage (PTCD) fistula recurrence (eight patients), bile duct recurrence (six patients), and lymph node recurrence (one patient). To evaluate the survival impact of resection, we compared 123 RExBC patients (resection group) with patients who received palliative care (palliative group).

Results

Morbidity and mortality rates in the resection group were 6.6% and 0%, respectively. Overall cumulative 5-year survival rates were 23.5% in the resection group and 0% in the palliative group. Median survival time was 21.6 months in the resection group and 9.5 months in the palliative group, showing a significant difference (p < 0.01). No significant differences in cumulative survival were seen between extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma in the resection group. In addition, no significant differences were seen between liver metastases, bile duct recurrence, and local/percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) fistula recurrence in the resection group.

Conclusions

Surgery appears feasible for RExBC and offers longer survival for selected patients.

The surgical management of gallbladder cancer

Among biliary tract cancers, gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a potentially lethal malignancy with abysmal long-term survival. Surgery is central to the management of GBC, and presently, provides the only ray of hope for long-term survival. Radical cholecystectomy, which includes cholecystectomy with a limited hepatic resection, regional lymphadenectomy and adjacent organ resection if required is used to encompass the tumor with negative margins - R'0' resection is the standard surgical treatment for the management of GBC. Absence of randomized controlled trials to address various surgical controversies due to rarity of disease in western world, advanced disease at presentation, high frequency of unresectability/inoperability at surgery, deficient neoadjuvant/adjuvant strategies and nihilistic views of oncologists due to aggressive disease biology has resulted in marked heterogeneity in surgical strategies employed to manage GBC across the surgical centers globally.

The prognostic importance of jaundice in surgical resection with curative intent for gallbladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Preoperative jaundice is frequent in gallbladder cancer (GBC) and indicates advanced disease. Resection is rarely recommended to treat advanced GBC. An aggressive surgical approach for advanced GBC remains lacking because of the association of this disease with serious postoperative complications and poor prognosis. This study aims to re-assess the prognostic value of jaundice for the morbidity, mortality, and survival of GBC patients who underwent surgical resection with curative intent.

METHODS

GBC patients who underwent surgical resection with curative intent at a single institution between January 2003 and December 2012 were identified from a prospectively maintained database.

RESULTS

A total of 192 patients underwent surgical resection with curative intent, of whom 47 had preoperative jaundice and 145 had none. Compared with the non-jaundiced patients, the jaundiced patients had significantly longer operative time (p < 0.001) and more intra-operative bleeding (p = 0.001), frequent combined resections of adjacent organs (23.4% vs. 2.8%, p = 0.001), and postoperative complications (12.4% vs. 34%, p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative jaundice was the only independent predictor of postoperative complications. The jaundiced patients had lower survival rates than the non-jaundiced patients (p < 0.001). However, lymph node metastasis and gallbladder neck tumors were the only significant risk factors of poor prognosis. Non-curative resection was the only independent predictor of poor prognosis among the jaundiced patients. The survival rates of the jaundiced patients with preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) were similar to those of the jaundiced patients without PBD (p = 0.968). No significant differences in the rate of postoperative intra-abdominal abscesses were found between the jaundiced patients with and without PBD (n = 4, 21.1% vs. n = 5, 17.9%, p = 0.787).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative jaundice indicates poor prognosis and high postoperative morbidity but is not a surgical contraindication. Gallbladder neck tumors significantly increase the surgical difficulty and reduce the opportunities for radical resection. Gallbladder neck tumors can independently predict poor outcome. PBD correlates with neither a low rate of postoperative intra-abdominal abscesses nor a high survival rate.

Locally advanced gallbladder cancer: which patients benefit from resection?

OBJECTIVES

Patients with T3-4 gallbladder cancers (GBCs) often require extended surgical procedures, and up to 30% of patients have N2 metastases. This study investigated which patients with T3-4 GBC benefit from resection.

METHODS

Consecutive patients (n = 78) with T3-4 GBC who underwent resection between 1990 and 2011 were analysed (38 before 2003, 40 in 2003-2011). Forty patients required common bile duct (CBD) resection, 10 pancreatoduodenectomy, 4 right colectomy and 2 gastric resection. Fifty-two (67%) patients had LN metastases, including 22 with N2 metastases.

RESULTS

The in-hospital mortality rate was 8%, 11% before 2003 vs. 5% in 2003-2011. The morbidity rate (47%) remained stable during the study. Undergoing liver and pancreatic resection did not increase severe morbidity (0%) or mortality (10%). Sixty-seven (86%) patients had R0 resection. The 5-year survival rate was 17% (median follow-up, 65 months). Survival improved after 2002 (26% vs. 9%, p = 0.04). R1 patients had poor 3-year survival (0% vs. 32%, p = 0.001). N+ patients also had low survival (5-year survival, 10% vs. 32% in N0, p = 0.019), but N1 and N2 patients had similar outcomes. CBD resection and major hepatectomy did not worsen prognosis. Patients requiring pancreatoduodenectomy, gastric or colonic resection had 0% 3-year survival (p = 0.036 in multivariate analysis).

CONCLUSIONS

Resection of T3-4 GBC is worthwhile only if R0 surgery is achievable. Outcomes improved in most recent years. N2 metastases should not preclude surgery. Good results are possible even with CBD resection or major hepatectomy, while benefits from surgery are doubtful if pancreatoduodenectomy or other organ resection is needed.

Surgical approaches to advanced gallbladder cancer : a 40-year single-institution study of prognostic factors and resectability

PURPOSE

The aim was to evaluate prognostic factors and factors associated with the resectability of advanced gallbladder cancer (GBC).

METHODS

This was a single-institution retrospective review of 274 consecutive surgically-treated cases of advanced GBC (excluding incidental GBC and early GBC). Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to assess prognostic variables. R0 resection and survival rates were investigated for each local extension factor.

RESULTS

Long-term survival was uncommon among patients with multiple liver metastases (H2-3: n = 22; 2-year survival, 0 %), dissemination (P1-3: n = 16; 3-year survival, 0 %), invasion through the hepatoduodenal ligament (Binf3: n = 45; 5-year survival, 4.6 %), or group 3 lymph node (LN) metastasis including of the para-aortic LN (N3: n = 52; 13.7 %). Long-term survival rates did not differ significantly between patients who did and did not undergo bile duct resection or pancreaticoduodenectomy. Survival did not differ significantly according to the type of hepatectomy performed.

CONCLUSION

Surgery may not be indicated for patients with multiple liver metastasis, dissemination, Binf3, or visible para-aortic LN metastasis. Furthermore, it is important to achieve R0 surgery in cases of GBC.

Patterns of recurrence after resection of gallbladder cancer without routine extrahepatic bile duct resection

OBJECTIVE

Routine extrahepatic bile duct (EBD) resection in non-jaundiced patients with gallbladder cancer (GBC) is controversial. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyse patterns of recurrence in patients who underwent resection of GBC without routine EBD resection.

METHODS

This analysis referred to 58 patients who had undergone explorative laparotomy for GBC during 2000-2012 at a single, tertiary referral centre. Overall survival, time to recurrence, and patterns of recurrence were assessed in patients who underwent conventional negative-margin (R0) resection without routine EBD resection.

RESULTS

Of 58 patients submitted to explorative laparotomy for GBC, 26 (45%) patients underwent R0 resection without EBD resection (tumour stage T1b in five patients, T2 in 17, T3 in three, and T4 in one). The 3-year survival rate among these patients was 78% at a median follow-up of 33 months (range: 13-127 months). Seven patients developed recurrent disease at a median of 9 months (range: 2-25 months) after resection. No patients developed isolated recurrent disease at the EBD.

CONCLUSIONS

Of 26 patients resected for GBC, none developed isolated recurrent disease at the EBD after conventional resection of GBC without EBD resection. This finding suggests that routine EBD resection is of no additional value.

The role of staging laparoscopy in primary gall bladder cancer--an analysis of 409 patients: a prospective study to evaluate the role of staging laparoscopy in the management of gallbladder cancer

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the role of staging laparoscopy (SL) in the management of gallbladder cancer (GBC).

METHODS

A prospective study of primary GBC patients between May 2006 and December 2011. The SL was performed using an umbilical port with a 30-degree telescope. Early GBC included clinical stage T1/T2. A detectable lesion (DL) was defined as one that could be detected on SL alone, without doing any dissection or using laparoscopic ultrasound (surface liver metastasis and peritoneal deposits). Other metastatic and locally advanced unresectable disease qualified as undetectable lesions (UDL).

RESULTS

Of the 409 primary GBC patients who underwent SL, 95 had disseminated disease [(surface liver metastasis (n = 29) and peritoneal deposits (n = 66)]. The overall yield of SL was 23.2% (95/409). Of the 314 patients who underwent laparotomy, an additional 75 had unresectable disease due to surface liver metastasis (n = 5), deep parenchymal liver metastasis (n = 4), peritoneal deposits (n = 1), nonlocoregional lymph nodes (n = 47), and locally advanced unresectable disease (n = 18), that is, 6-DL and 69-UDL. The accuracy of SL for detecting unresectable disease and DL was 55.9% (95/170) and 94.1% (95/101), respectively. Compared with early GBC, the yield was significantly higher in locally advanced tumors (n = 353) [25.2% (89/353) vs 10.7% (6/56), P = 0.02]. However, the accuracy in detecting unresectable disease and a DL in locally advanced tumors was similar to early GBC [56.0%, (89/159) and 94.1%, (89/95) vs 54.6% (6/11) and 100% (6/6), P = 1.00].

CONCLUSIONS

In the present series with an overall resectability rate of 58.4%, SL identified 94.1% of the DLs and thereby obviated a nontherapeutic laparotomy in 55.9% of patients with unresectable disease and 23.2% of overall GBC patients. It had a higher yield in locally advanced tumors than in early-stage tumors; however, the accuracy in detecting unresectable disease and a DL were similar.

Combined portal vein resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma: a meta-analysis of comparative studies

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) frequently invades into the adjacent portal vein, and portal vein resection (PVR) is the only way to manage this condition and achieve negative resection margins. However, the safety and effectiveness of PVR is controversial. Studies analyzing the effect of PVR on the surgical and pathological outcomes in the management of HCCA with gross portal vein involvement were considered eligible for this meta-analysis. The outcome variables analyzed included postoperative morbidity, mortality, survival rate, proportion of R0 resection, lymph node metastasis, microscopic vascular invasion, and perineural invasion. From 11 studies, 371 patients who received PVR and 1,029 who did not were identified and analyzed. Data from patients who received combined PVR correlated with higher postoperative death rates (OR = 2.31; 95 % CI, 1.21-4.43; P = 0.01) and more advanced tumor stage. No significant difference was detected in terms of morbidity, proportion of R0 resection, or 5-year survival rate. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that in centers with more experience or studies published after 2007, combined PVR did not cause significantly higher postoperative death. No strong evidence could suggest that combined PVR leads to more morbidity or mortality for patients with HCCA when the portal vein is grossly involved. In addition, combined PVR is oncologically valuable because R0 resection and 5-year survival did not differ significantly between two cohorts, despite the fact that the PVR cohort consisted of patients with more advanced HCCA.

Is extended hemihepatectomy plus pancreaticoduodenectomy justified for advanced bile duct cancer and gallbladder cancer?

BACKGROUND

Major hepatopancreaticoduodenectomy (HPD) is an extensive surgical procedure offering the highest curability for patients with advanced biliary cancer. However, surgical morbidity associated with major HPD is high, and optimal indications for this procedure remain unclear.

METHODS

Between 1989 and 2010, 14 patients with widespread bile duct cancer and 5 with gallbladder cancer having biliary infiltration underwent major HPD at our hospital. Preoperative portal vein embolization was performed in 17 patients undergoing right HPD. Clinicopathologic factors and survivals following HPD were compared between patients with bile duct cancer and those with gallbladder cancer.

RESULTS

One patient who underwent right HPD for gallbladder cancer died of hepatic failure (5.3%) and 18 of the 19 patients (95%) developed postoperative pancreatic fistulas. The median hospital stay was 47 days. Depth of invasion was T3 in 1 patient and T4 in 2 patients with bile duct cancer and was T4 in all 5 patients with gallbladder cancer (P = .002). The clinical stage was IV in 3 patients (21%) with bile duct cancer and in all 5 patients with gallbladder cancer (P = .002). The 5-year survival rates and median survival rates of patients with bile duct cancer and gallbladder cancer were 45% vs 0 and 3.3 years vs 8 months, respectively (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

HPD can be an acceptable treatment option for widespread bile duct cancer. However, the indication for HPD in advanced-stage gallbladder cancer should be considered carefully, considering the high morbidity rate and the advanced stage of the disease.

Analysis of the relationships between clinicopathologic factors and survival in gallbladder cancer following surgical resection with curative intent

Background

This study elucidated the relationships between various clinicopathologic factors and the outcome of patients with gallbladder cancer (GBC) treated by surgical resection with curative intent.

Methods

Between January 2003 and January 2011, 76 patients with GBC underwent surgical resection with curative intent at our department. We then conducted a retrospective analysis of clinicopathologic data. Fourteen clinicopathological variables were selected for univariate and multivariate analysis to evaluate their influence on the outcome.

Results

The actuarial 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates in the 76 resected cases were 56.6%, 32.7%, and 23.8%, respectively. The univariate analysis revealed that curative resection (P<0.001), lymph node metastasis (P<0.001), AJCC stage (P = 0.030), tumor location (P = 0.008), histologic differentiation (P = 0.028), intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.011), and preoperative jaundice (P = 0.012) were significant risk factors for survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that noncurative resection and tumor location on gallbladder neck were significant risk factors for poor outcome. Among jaundiced patients, we discovered that gallbladder carcinoma with tumor thrombus in common bile duct (CBD) was very rare but with relatively special clinical manifestation and characteristic radiography manifestation. The prognosis of gallbladder carcinoma with tumor thrombus in CBD after surgical procedure was apparently better than gallbladder carcinoma with invasion of hilar tissues.

Conclusions

Curative surgical resection remains the only effective approach to the treatment of GBC. This series confirm that jaundice is a poor prognostic factor. However, the presence of jaundice does not preclude resection, especially in highly selected patients (when R0 resection is achievable). Gallbladder carcinoma with tumor thrombus in CBD has special clinical characteristics, which need to be awared by radiologists and clinicians.

The improvement of surgical treatment for patients with gallbladder cancer: analysis of 208 consecutive cases over the past decade

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine if there has been improvement in survival for patients with gallbladder cancer treated with surgical procedures.

METHODS

A retrospective review of all patients with gallbladder cancer admitted during the past 11 years was conducted. The patients were categorized into two periods: period 1, from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2005 (group 1, n = 77); and period 2, from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010 (group 2, n = 131).

RESULTS

The two groups have similar age, sex distribution, and symptoms. There were more patients with advanced stage in group 2 (P = 0.001). And patients in group 2 were treated with more aggressive surgical procedures compared with group 1. Patients of group 2 had a better surgical outcomes and longer 5-year overall survival (9 % vs. 19 %, P = 0.040) and disease-free survival (P = 0.017). Median survival in group 1 was 14.7 months, while in group 2 it was 22.3 months. Patients underwent R0 resection in group 2 had better survival than that in group 1 (P = 0.009), while they had similar survival for those who underwent non-R0 resection in both periods (P = 0.108).

CONCLUSIONS

A significant improvement of disease-free survival and long-term survival results was observed in the past decade.

Definition of T3/4 and regional lymph nodes in gallbladder cancer: which is more valid, the UICC or the Japanese staging system?

BACKGROUND

The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and Japanese Society of Biliary Surgery (JSBS) staging systems differ in their staging of gallbladder cancer: they define hepatic invasion with or without invasion of another organ as T3 and either T3 or T4, respectively, and posterosuperior pancreatic lymph node (PSPLN) metastases as M1 and N2, respectively.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated the survival of 224 patients who had undergone macroscopically curative resection for gallbladder cancer and assessed the influence of the differences between the two staging systems on survival.

RESULTS

JSBS staging stratified the survival curves better for stages III or IV. Fifty-seven patients were classified as UICC-T3 but JSBS-T4. These patients had better survival than did 43 patients with UICC-T4/JSBS-T4 and comparable survival to 17 patients with UICC-T3/JSBS-T3. UICC stage IIIB is composed of two subgroups: U-T2N1 (18 patients) and U-T3N1 (21 patients). Their 5-year survivals were 85 and 41%, respectively (P = 0.01). The latter was comparable to that of 28 T3N0 patients (35%, P = 0.93). The survival of the UICC-M1 patients with disease restricted to PSPLNs was significantly better than that of those with involvement beyond PSPLNs (5-year survival 35 vs. 17%; P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Although UICC staging more accurately defines the T category, JSBS staging better stratifies the prognosis of patients with gallbladder cancer, mainly because UICC stage IIIB includes T1/2N1M0, which is associated with significantly better survival than T3N0M0. It would be appropriate to classify PSPLNs as regional lymph nodes.