Tumor size predicts vascular invasion and histologic grade among patients undergoing resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

The Clinical Association Between the Inflammation-Nutritional Condition and Prognosis of Locally Advanced Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma After R0 Resection: Evidence from Competing Risk and Propensity Matching Analysis

Background

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) correlates with poor outcomes, necessitating the identification of prognostic factors from an inflammation-nutritional perspective in locally advanced ICC patients after R0 resection.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 159 locally advanced ICC patients from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, as well as competing risk analysis, were conducted to explore prognostic variables for locally advanced ICC following surgery. To validate the robustness of our findings, we performed propensity score matching (PSM) analyses to evaluate survival differences based on inflammation-nutritional indexes.

Results

Considering non-cancer-specific death as competing risk factors, both systemic immune-inflammation index (SII, HR: 1.934) and prognostic nutrition index (PNI, HR: 0.604) emerged as significant prognostic variables for locally advanced ICC after R0 resection (P < 0.05). After PSM, the survival benefit between the low and high PNI sets remained clear (median survival time: 15.7 months vs 35.1 months, P = 0.002). Although the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of the low SII group was higher than that of the high SII group, the difference was not statistically significant (17.5% VS 27.4%, P = 0.112). Other influencing factors included tumor number, tumor diameter, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels, and postoperative adjuvant therapy.

Conclusion

Individual inflammatory and nutritional status significantly impact the prognosis of locally advanced ICC undergoing R0 hapectomy. Oncologists should consider incorporating inflammation-nutritional conditions into the decision-making process for this subset of advanced ICC.

British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines for the diagnosis and management of cholangiocarcinoma

These guidelines for the diagnosis and management of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) were commissioned by the British Society of Gastroenterology liver section. The guideline writing committee included a multidisciplinary team of experts from various specialties involved in the management of CCA, as well as patient/public representatives from AMMF (the Cholangiocarcinoma Charity) and PSC Support. Quality of evidence is presented using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) format. The recommendations arising are to be used as guidance rather than as a strict protocol-based reference, as the management of patients with CCA is often complex and always requires individual patient-centred considerations.

Lymph Node Dissection in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: a Critical and Updated Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Lymphatic spread of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is common and negatively impacts survival. However, the precise role of lymph node dissection (LND) in oncologic outcomes for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma remains to be established.

METHODS

Updated evidence on the preoperative diagnosis and prognostic value of lymph node metastasis is reviewed, as well as the potential benefit of LND in patients with iCCA.

RESULTS

The ability to accurately determine nodal status for iCCA with current imaging modalities is equivocal. LND has prognostic value for both survival and disease recurrence. However, execution rates of LND are highly varied in the literature, ranging from 26.9 to 100%. At least 6 lymph nodes should be examined from nodal stations of the hepatoduodenal ligament and hepatic artery as well as based on the location of the primary tumor. Neoadjuvant therapies may be beneficial if lymph node metastases at diagnosis are suspected. Surgeons performing a minimally invasive approach should focus on increasing LND rates and harvesting ≥ 6 lymph nodes. Lymph node negativity is required in patients with iCCA being considered for liver transplantation under investigational protocols.

CONCLUSION

Despite an upward trend in the LND rate, the reality is that only 10% of patients with iCCA receive an adequate LND. This review underscores the importance of routinely increasing the rate of adequate LND in these patients in order to achieve accurate staging, appropriately select patients for adjuvant therapy, and improve the prognosis of clinical outcomes. While prospective data is lacking, the therapeutic impact of LND remains unknown.

Combined Tumor Burden Score and Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 Grading System to Predict Outcomes Among Patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The interplay of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) and tumor burden score (TBS) within intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma remains ill-defined. We evaluated the roles of TBS and CA19-9 relative to overall survival (OS) and recurrence, as well as the predictive ability of the combined TBS and CA19-9 (CTC) grading system.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients undergoing liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma between 2000 and 2020 were identified using a multi-institutional database. The impact of CA19-9 and TBS on 5-year OS and 3-year recurrence was assessed, along with the prognostic accuracy of the CTC grading system (ie the composite score of CA19-9 level and TBS).

RESULTS

Among 831 patients, the median age was 58.2 years and 482 (58.0%) were male. The median [IQR] CA19-9 level was 49.7 [17.0, 221.0] U/mL and TBS was 6.1 [4.1, 8.3]. Median [IQR] and 5-year OS were 36.9 [32.3, 43.1] months and 38.9%, respectively; 3-year recurrence was 68.9%. Five-year survival varied relative to CA19-9 (low vs high, 49.0% vs 19.7%) and TBS (low vs high, 53.6% vs 26.9%) (p < 0.001 for both). On multivariable analysis, high CA19-9 (hazard ratio [HR] 2.02, 95% CI 1.64 to 2.49) and high TBS (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.06) remained independently associated with OS. In turn, the CTC grading score stratified 5-year OS (low vs intermediate vs high CTC, 57.7% vs 39.9% vs 12.6%; p < 0.001) and remained an independent prognostic factor (referent, low CTC; [intermediate CTC] HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.01; [high CTC] HR 3.28, 95% CI 2.47 to 4.36).

CONCLUSIONS

The interplay between tumor morphology and biology dictates long-term prognosis after liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Prognostic models such as the CTC grading system may inform discussions around prognosis, as well as help identify which patients with ICC may benefit more from neoadjuvant chemotherapy rather than up-front surgery.

Nomogram based on MRI for preoperative prediction of Ki-67 expression in patients with intrahepatic mass cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

To validate a new nomogram based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for pre-operative prediction of Ki-67 expression in patients with intrahepatic mass cholangiocarcinoma (IMCC).

METHODS

A total of 78 patients with clinicopathologically confirmed IMCC who underwent pre-operative gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid enhanced MRI between 2016 and 2022 were enrolled in the training and validation group (53 patients and 25 patients, respectively). Images including qualitative, quantitative MRI features and clinical data were evaluated. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to select the independent predictors and establish different predictive models. The predictive performance was validated by operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA). The validation cohort was used to test the predictive performance of the optimal model. The nomogram was constructed with the optimal model.

RESULTS

In the training cohort, independent predictors obtained from the combined model were DWI (OR 1822.741; 95% CI 6.189, 536,781.805; P = 0.01) and HBP enhancement pattern (OR 14.270; 95% CI 1.044, 195.039; P = 0.046). The combined model showed the good performance (AUC 0.981; 95% CI 0.952, 1.000) for predicting Ki-67 expression. In the validation cohort, The combined model (AUC 0.909; 95% CI 0.787, 1.000)showed the best performance compared to the clinical model (AUC 0.448; 95% CI 0.196, 0.700) and MRI model (AUC 0.770; 95% CI 0.570, 0.970).

CONCLUSION

This new nomogram has a good performance in predicting Ki-67 expression in patients with IMCC, which could help the decision-making of the patients' therapy strategies.

A Multi-Parametric Radiomics Nomogram for Preoperative Prediction of Microvascular Invasion Status in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Background

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common primary liver cancer with increasing incidence in the last decades. Microvascular invasion (MVI) is a poor prognostic factor for patients with ICC, which correlates early recurrence and poor prognosis, and it can affect the selection of personalized therapeutic regime.

Purpose

This study aimed to develop and validate a radiomics-based nomogram for predicting MVI in ICC patients preoperatively.

Methods

A total of 163 pathologically confirmed ICC patients (training cohort: n = 130; validation cohort: n = 33) with postoperative Ga-DTPA-enhanced MR examination were enrolled, and a time-independent test cohort (n = 24) was collected for external validation. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the independent predictors of MVI status, which were then incorporated into the MVI prediction nomogram. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression was performed to select optimal features and construct radiomics models. The prediction performances of models were assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The performance of the MVI prediction nomogram was evaluated by its calibration, discrimination, and clinical utility.

Results

Larger tumor size (p = 0.003) and intrahepatic duct dilatation (p = 0.002) are independent predictors of MVI. The final radiomics model shows desirable and stable prediction performance in the training cohort (AUC = 0.950), validation cohort (AUC = 0.883), and test cohort (AUC = 0.812). The MVI prediction nomogram incorporates tumor size, intrahepatic duct dilatation, and the final radiomics model and achieves excellent predictive efficacy in training cohort (AUC = 0.953), validation cohort (AUC = 0.861), and test cohort (AUC = 0.819), fitting well in calibration curves (p > 0.05). Decision curve and clinical impact curve further confirm the clinical usefulness of the nomogram.

Conclusion

The nomogram incorporating tumor size, intrahepatic duct dilatation, and the final radiomics model is a potential biomarker for preoperative prediction of the MVI status in ICC patients.

Effect of Microvascular Invasion on the Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Analysis of Related Risk Factors: A Two-Center Study

Objective: Microvascular invasion is considered to initiate intrahepatic metastasis and postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to analyze the effect of MVI on the prognosis in HCC and identify related risk factors for microvascular invasion (MVI).

Methods: The clinical data of 553 HCC patients who underwent liver surgery at Qingdao University from January 2014 to December 2018 and 89 patients at Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital treated between October 2014 and October 2019 were collected retrospectively. We explored the impact of MVI on the prognosis of patients with HCC using Kaplan-Meier analysis. We conducted logistic regression analysis to identify variables significantly related to MVI.

Results: Pathological examination confirmed the presence of MVI in 265 patients (41.3%). Six factors independently correlated with MVI were incorporated into the multivariate logistic regression analysis: Edmondson-Steiner grade [odds ratio (OR) = 3.244, 95%CI: 2.243–4.692; p < 0.001], liver capsule invasion (OR = 1.755; 95%CI: 1.215–2.535; p = 0.003), bile duct tumor thrombi (OR = 20.926; 95%CI: 2.552–171.553; p = 0.005), α-fetoprotein (> 400 vs. < 400 ng/ml; OR = 1.530; 95%CI: 1.017–2.303; p = 0.041), tumor size (OR = 1.095; 95%CI: 1.027–1.166; p = 0.005), and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (OR = 1.086; 95%CI: 1.016–1.162; p = 0.015). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.743 (95%CI: 0.704–0.781; p < 0.001), indicating that our logistic regression model had significant clinical usefulness.

Conclusions: We analyzed the effect of MVI on the prognosis in HCC and evaluated the risk factors for MVI, which could be helpful in making decisions regarding patients with a high risk of recurrence.

Proposal of a New Definition of "Very Early" Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma-A Retrospective Single-Center Analysis

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a rare disease with poor outcome, despite advances in surgical and non-surgical treatment. Recently, studies have reported a favorable long-term outcome of “very early” ICC (based on tumor size and absence of extrahepatic disease) after hepatic resection and liver transplantation, respectively. However, the prognostic value of tumor size and a reliable definition of early disease remain a matter of debate. Patients undergoing resection of histologically confirmed ICC between February 1996 and January 2021 at our institution were reviewed for postoperative morbidity, mortality, and long-term outcome after being retrospectively assigned to two groups: “very early” (single tumor ≤ 3 cm) and “advanced” ICC (size > 3 cm, multifocality or extrahepatic disease). A total of 297 patients were included, with a median follow-up of 22.8 (0.1–301.7) months. Twenty-one (7.1%) patients underwent resection of “very early” ICC. Despite the small tumor size, major hepatectomies (defined as resection of ≥3 segments) were performed in 14 (66.7%) cases. Histopathological analyses revealed lymph node metastases in 5 (23.8%) patients. Patients displayed excellent postoperative outcome compared to patients with “advanced” disease: intrahospital mortality was not observed, and patients displayed superior long-term survival, with a 5-year survival rate of 58.2% (versus 24.3%) and a median postoperative survival of 62.1 months (versus 25.3 months; p = 0.013). In conclusion, although the concept of a “very early” ICC based solely on tumor size is vague as it does not necessarily reflect an aggressive tumor biology, our proposed definition could serve as a basis for further studies evaluating the efficiency of either surgical resection or liver transplantation for this malignant disease.

Vascular Resection for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Current Considerations

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) accounts for approximately 10% of all primary liver cancers. Surgery is the only potentially curative treatment, even in cases of macrovascular invasion. Since resection offers the only curative chance, even extended liver resection combined with complex vascular or biliary reconstruction of the surrounding organs seems justified to achieve complete tumour removal. In selected cases, the major vascular resection is the only change to try getting the cure. The best results are achieved by the referral centre with a wide experience in complex liver surgery, such as ALPPS procedure, IVC resection, and ante-situ and ex-situ resections. However, despite aggressive surgery, tumour recurrence occurs frequently and long-term oncological results are very poor. This suggests that significant progress in prognosis cannot be expected by surgery alone. Instead, multimodal treatment including neoadjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and subsequent adjuvant treatment for iCCA seem to be necessary to improve results.

Reappraisal of the T Category for Solitary Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma by Tumor Size in 611 Early-Stage (T1-2N0M0) Patients After Hepatectomy: a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Analysis

BACKGROUND

The association between tumor size and survival in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after hepatectomy is controversial, and the T category in the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage for ICC is a topic of debate.

METHODS

Data from 611 T1-2N0M0 ICC patients classified by the AJCC 8th edition who underwent hepatectomy were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database during 1988-2015. Cancer-specific survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. The optimal cutoff value of solitary tumor size was used an adjusted p value approach to discriminating patient survival.

RESULTS

In the AJCC 8th staging system, using a 5-cm cut-off value of tumor size for solitary ICC without vascular invasion (S/VI-) was not associated with survival in T1 category (p = 0.201), and multifocal ICC with vascular invasion had a worse survival than solitary ICC with vascular invasion (S/VI+) in T2 category (p = 0.014). Tumor size was a prognostic factor for both S/VI- and S/VI+, the optimal cutoff value of tumor size was obtained 8 cm for S/VI- and 3 cm for S/VI+. S/VI- ≤ 8 cm had a similar survival to S/VI+ ≤ 3 cm (p = 0.126), S/VI- > 8 cm had a similar survival to S/VI+ > 3 cm (p = 0.655), and multifocal ICC had a similar survival with S/VI- > 8 cm (p = 0.159) and S/VI+ > 3 cm (p = 0.196). When the cohort was divided into two groups-new T1 (S/VI- ≤ 8 cm and S/VI+ ≤ 3 cm) and new T2 (S/VI- > 8 cm, S/VI+ > 3 cm and multifocal ICC)-significant survival difference was observed (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The discriminatory power of the AJCC 8th edition for solitary ICC could be further enhanced by subdividing tumors according to size and vascular invasion (8 cm for S/VI- and 3 cm for S/VI+).

Critical prognostic value of the log odds of negative lymph nodes/tumor size in rectal cancer patients

BACKGROUND

The number of negative lymph nodes (NLNs) and tumor size are associated with prognosis in rectal cancer patients undergoing surgical resection. However, little is known about the prognostic significance of the NLN count after adjusting for tumor size.

AIM

To assess the prognostic impact of the log odds of NLN/tumor size (LONS) in rectal cancer patients.

METHODS

Data of patients with stage I–III rectal cancer were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database. These patients were randomly divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to determine the prognostic value of the LONS. The optimal cutoff values of LONS were calculated using the "X-tile" program. Stratified analysis of the effect of LONS on cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were performed. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test was used to plot the survival curve and compare the survival data among the different groups.

RESULTS

In all, 41080 patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 28775, 70%) and a validation cohort (n = 12325, 30%). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified the continuous variable LONS as an independent prognostic factor for CSS [training cohort: Hazard ratio (HR) = 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.44–0.51, P < 0.001; validation cohort: HR = 0.46, 95%CI: 0.41-0.52, P < 0.001] and OS (training cohort: HR = 0.53, 95%CI: 0.49-0.56, P < 0.001; validation cohort: HR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.42-0.52, P < 0.001). The X-tile program indicated that the difference in CSS was the most significant for LONS of -0.8, and the cutoff value of -0.4 can further distinguish patients with a better prognosis in the high LONS group. Stratified analysis of the effect of the categorical variable LONS on CSS and OS revealed that LONS was also an independent predictor, independent of pN stage, pT stage, tumor-node-metastasis stage, site, age, sex, the number of examined lymph nodes, race, preoperative radiotherapy and carcinoembryonic antigen level.

CONCLUSION

LONS is associated with improved survival of rectal cancer patients independent of other clinicopathological factors.

Synergistic impact of resection margin and microscopic vascular invasion for patients with HBV-related intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

The resection margin (RM) status and microscopic vascular invasion (MVI) are known prognostic factors for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). An enhanced understanding of their impact on long-term prognosis is required to improve oncological outcomes.

METHODS

A total of 711 consecutive patients who underwent curative liver resection for hepatitis B virus-related ICC were retrospectively analyzed. The different impact of the RM status (narrow, <1 cm, or wide, ≥1 cm) and MVI (positive, +, or negative, -) on overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were analyzed.

RESULTS

The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 67.6%, 42.5%, and 33.2% in wide RM & MVI (-), 58.0%, 36.1%, and 26.5% in narrow RM & MVI (-), 51.0%, 27.0%, and 24.3% in wide RM & MVI (+), and 39.0%, 20.4% and 14.3% in narrow RM & MVI (+) (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that RM & MVI were independent risk factors for the OS and RFS.

CONCLUSION

Combined analysis of RM and MVI can better stratify the risks of postoperative death and recurrence in patients with HBV-related ICC, which may help subsequent adjuvant therapy and closer follow-up.

Complex Liver Resections for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

The only curative treatment option for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is liver resection. Due to central tumor localization and vascular invasion, complex liver resections play an important role in curative treatment. However, the long-term outcomes after complex liver resection are not known. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted for all patients undergoing liver surgery for iCCA. Complex liver resections included ante situm resections, associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) and major liver resection with vascular reconstructions. Results: Forty-nine patients (34%) received complex liver resection, 66 patients (46%) received conventional liver resection and 28 patients (20%) were not resectable during exploration. Preoperative characteristics were not different between the groups, except for Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stages. The postoperative course for complex liver resections was associated with more complications and perioperative mortality. However, long-term survival was not different between complex and conventional resections. Independent risk factors for survival were R0 resections and UICC stage. Four patients underwent ante situm resection without any mortality. Conclusions: Complex liver resections are justified in selected patients and survival is comparable with conventional liver resections. Survival in iCCA is affected by UICC stage or resections margins and not by the complexity of the case.

Radiomics signature on dynamic contrast-enhanced MR images: a potential imaging biomarker for prediction of microvascular invasion in mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To develop a radiomics signature based on dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MR images for preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion (MVI) in patients with mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IMCC).

METHODS

One hundred twenty-six patients with surgically resected single IMCC (34 MVI-positive and 92 MVI-negative) were enrolled and allocated to training and validation cohorts (7:3 ratio). Findings of clinical characteristics and MR features were analyzed. A radiomics signature was built on the basis of reproducible features by using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression algorithm in the training cohort. The prediction performance of radiomics signature was evaluated by receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) analysis. Internal validation was performed on an independent cohort containing 38 patients.

RESULTS

Larger tumor size and higher radiomics score were positively correlated with MVI in both training cohort (p < 0.001, < 0.001, respectively) and validation cohort (p = 0.008, 0.001, respectively). The radiomics signature, consisting of seven wavelet features, showed optimal prediction performance in both training (AUC = 0.873) and validation cohorts (AUC = 0.850).

CONCLUSION

A radiomics signature derived from DCE-MRI of the liver can be a reliable imaging biomarker for predicting MVI of IMCC, which could aid in tailoring treatment strategies.

KEY POINTS

• The radiomics signature based on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging can be a useful tool to preoperatively predict MVI of IMCC. • Larger tumor size is positively correlated with MVI of IMCC.

Effect of Tumor Size on Long-Term Survival After Resection for Solitary Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Background

The relationship between tumor size and survival in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic ability of tumor size for solitary ICC after resection and explore optimal cut-off values in different subgroups.

Methods

Patients with solitary ICC who underwent liver resection from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program and Shandong Provincial Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis were used to assess the prognostic ability of tumor size. The log-rank test was used to determine the optimal cut-off values, and a minimum P was regarded as the optimal one in different subgroups.

Results

Large tumor size groups had worse overall survival (OS) than small tumor size groups. Cox regression analysis suggested that tumor size was an independent prognostic factor for OS for solitary ICC after resection. Subgroup analysis showed tumor size was associated with OS for both solitary ICC with and without vascular invasion (VI). Furthermore, the optimal cut-off values for solitary ICC with and without VI were found to be 8 and 3 cm, respectively, which could divide the patients into two groups with significant differences in OS.

Conclusion

Tumor size was an independent prognostic factor for solitary ICC after resection. The existing American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system could be improved if the cut-off value of the T1 stage was changed to 8 cm and if the T2 stage incorporated a tumor size with a cut-off value of 3 cm. Further studies with more cases are needed to validate these findings.

Comprehensive analysis of genomic alterations of Chinese hilar cholangiocarcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare malignant tumor of the biliary system. The heterogeneity of CCA leads to the lack of effective targeted treatment for CCA subtypes. The molecular characteristic of hilar CCA (hCCA) is still unclear.

METHODS

A total of 63 hCCA patients were enrolled from Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissues, and matched blood were collected and deep sequencing targeting 450 cancer genes were performed. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) was measured by an algorithm developed in-house. Correlation analysis was performed by Fisher's exact test.

RESULTS

The most commonly mutated genes were TP53 (51.7%), NF1 and KRAS (20%, for both), SMAD4 (16.7%), FAT3 and FRS2 (13.3%, for both), NF1 (11.7%), and KMT2C, MDM2, and ATM (10%, for each) in hCCA. ARID1A, GATA6, and PREX2 mutations commonly occurred in female and KMT2C mutations mainly occurred in patients under 60 years old. Statistical analysis showed the association between ARID1A mutation and tumor stage (P = 0.041) and between NF1 mutation and high TMB (P = 0.0095). Furthermore, ARID1B mutation was identified to associate with the poor prognosis of Chinese hCCA patients (P = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

The mutational characterization of hCCA is different from both extrahepatic CCA and intrahepatic CCA. ARID1B is a potential biomarker for prognosis prediction of Chinese hCCA patients.

Effects of microvascular invasion on clinical outcomes after resection with curative intent for cholangiocarcinoma

Surgery is the only curative treatment for cholangiocarcinoma, but even after surgery, survival rates are unsatisfactory. Recently, several reports have suggested microvascular invasion (MiVi) is associated with poor postoperative prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We considered that MiVi might be associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with surgically resectable cholangiocarcinoma.The records of 91 patients who underwent resection with curative intent for cholangiocarcinoma at Inha University Hospital from 2007 to 2017 were comprehensively reviewed for clinicopathological characteristics, DFS, and overall survival (OS) relations between these factors and the presence of MiVi.Forty-nine of the 91 study subjects had MiVi and 42 did not. Median overall survivals were 492 days in the MiVi group and 1008 days in the noMiVi group and median DFSs were 367 days and 760 days, respectively. Cumulative survival ratio and recurrence incidence rates were significantly different in the 2 groups (P = .012). Multivariable analysis showed the presence of MiVi was an independent risk factor of OS (hazard ratio [HR] 3.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40-7.97; P = .007).Cholangiocarcinoma is known to have a poor prognosis. When microvascular invasion remains after surgery it is associated with poor clinical outcomes.

Emerging roles of long noncoding RNAs in cholangiocarcinoma: Advances and challenges

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a cancer with a relatively low incidence rate, is usually associated with poor prognosis. Current modalities for the diagnosis and treatment of CCA patients are still far from satisfactory. In recent years, numerous long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as crucial players in the development of various cancers, including CCA. Abnormally expressed lncRNAs in CCA, regulated by some upstream molecules, significantly influence the biological behavior of tumor cells and are involved in tumor development through various mechanisms, including interactions with functional proteins, participation in competing for endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks, activation of cancer‐related signaling pathways and epigenetic modification of gene expression. Furthermore, several lncRNAs are closely associated with the clinicopathological features of CCA patients, and are promising biomarkers for diagnosing and prognostication of CCA. Some of these lncRNAs play an important role in chemotherapy drug resistance. In addition, lncRNAs have also been shown to be involved in the inflammation microenvironment of CCA and malignant outcome of CCA risk factors, such as cholestatic liver diseases. In view of the difficulty of diagnosing CCA, more attention should be paid to detectable lncRNAs in the serum or bile. This review summarizes the recent knowledge on lncRNAs in CCA and provides a new outlook on the molecular mechanisms of CCA development from the perspective of lncRNAs. Moreover, we also discussed the limitations of the current studies and differential expression of lncRNAs in different types of CCA.

Developing a Selection-aided Model to Screen Cirrhotic Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma for Hepatectomy

Background: This study aimed to establish a model predicting the prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients with cirrhosis before liver resection (LR). Methods: An Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital (EHBH) model using the preoperative factors was established in a training cohort (305 patients from 2006 to 2011) and validated in an internal validation cohort (113 patients from 2012 to 2014). Predictive performance and discrimination were evaluated and compared with other staging systems. Results: The EHBH model containing preoperative factors of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), radiological tumor diameter, tumor number, and satellite nodules outperformed other staging systems in predicting the prognosis of ICC. A contour plot of 3-year survival probability and a nomogram to form two differentiated groups of patients (high-risk group and low-risk group) were constructed based on the EHBH model to help surgeons predicting the overall survival (OS) before LR. Patients from the high-risk group (>86.56 points) in the training cohort had worse OS rates compared with those from the low-risk group (≤86.56 points). The one-, three-, and five-year OS rates were 50.4%, 29.0%, and 21.0% for the high-risk group and 68.2%, 45.5%, and 39.7% for the low-risk group, respectively (P<0.001). The same results were obtained in the internal validation patients. Conclusion: The contour plot is an easy-to-use tool to individually show the 3-year prognosis of ICC patients with different preoperative CA19-9 values and radiological characteristics before surgery. The EHBH model was suitable for selecting cirrhotic patients for LR to acquire a better survival.

MRI features predict microvascular invasion in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Background

The presence of microvascular invasion (MVI) in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a significant adverse prognostic factor. This study sought to investigate the correlation between preoperative imaging parameters and MVI in ICC.

Methods

A total of 108 patients with surgically resected single ICC tumors (34 MVI-positive and 74 MVI-negative lesions) who underwent MRI examination, including T1WI, T2WI, DWI, and dynamic enhancement imaging, were enrolled in this retrospective study. The following qualitative and quantitative characteristics were evaluated: tumor morphology, signal features on T1WI and T2WI, intrahepatic duct dilatation, hepatic capsule retraction, target sign on DWI, dynamic enhancement pattern, arterial phase enhancement pattern, dot−/band-like enhancement inside the tumor, visible vessel penetration inside the tumor (hepatic artery, portal vein, or hepatic vein), integrity of the enhancement edge of the arterial phase, peripheral hepatic enhancement, tumor size, maximum enhancement edge thickness, arterial edge enhancement ratio, and delayed phase enhancement ratio. Other clinicopathological features were also used to predict and evaluate MVI in ICC. Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and independent t-test were used for univariate analysis to determine the relationships among the presence of MVI and these MR parameters. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of MVI among these MR parameters.

Results

Among MRI characteristics, tumor morphology, intrahepatic duct dilatation, arterial phase enhancement pattern, visible hepatic artery penetration sign, maximum diameter of the tumor and the arterial phase edge enhancement ratio were correlated with MVI (P = 0.007, 0.003, 0.008, 0.000, 0.003, and 0.002, respectively). Furthermore, higher CA19–9 levels (≥37 U/ml) and pathological tumor grade III were also related to MVI (P = 0.014 and 0.004, respectively). However, multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that none of the parameters were independent risk factors for the diagnosis of MVI in ICCs.

Conclusion

For the preoperative prediction of MVI in ICC, six qualitative and quantitative data obtained on preoperative MRI, as well as one tumorigenic marker and the pathological tumor grade, were statistically significant. More research is needed to identify MR characteristics that can be used as independent risk factors.

Redefining the T1 category of the 8th American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging System for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A SEER database analysis

The T1 tumor category is further divided into T1a (≤5 cm) and T1b (>5 cm) by tumor size in the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between tumor size and prognosis in patients with T1 ICC. The data regarding patients with ICC was downloaded from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database between January 2004 and December 2013, at the time of first diagnosis and entered into the database. Demographic and pathological characteristics of patients were analyzed using an independent t-test and χ² test. Overall survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis; the cut-off point for tumor size was determined using the X-tile software. A total of 407 patients with ICC were selected from the analysis, including 199 cases with stage IA and 208 cases with stage IB tumors. The independent prognostic factors for patients with stage IA ICC were age and surgery. Independent prognostic factors for patients with stage IB ICC included age, surgery (yes vs. no) and tumor size (5-7 vs. ≥7 cm). The optimal cut-off value for tumor size was determined to be ~7 cm using X-tile software. Tumor size with a cut-off value of 7 cm could stratify patients by risk better than a value of 5 cm [hazard ratio (HR), 1.775; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.356-2.323 and; HR, 1.402; 95% CI, 1.078-1.824, respectively]. This suggests that the T1 tumor category should be subclassified into T1a and T1b with a cut-off of 7 cm rather than 5 cm. The next edition of the AJCC staging system may take the present evidence into consideration for improvement regarding the accurate staging of ICC.

Up-regulated LINC00261 predicts a poor prognosis and promotes a metastasis by EMT process in cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

LINC00261 plays a vital role in tumorigenesis and metastasis of digestive system cancer. However, an influence of LINC00261 on cholangiocarcinoma has a little research. There, we investigated clinical role and molecular mechanisms of LINC00261 in cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS

The qRT-PCR was performed for the detection of LINC00261 level in 50 paired specimens from CCA patients and six cell lines. Cell proliferation were explored by CCK-8 and colony formation assays in QBC939 and RBE cells after transfected with si-LINC00261 or si-NC. Then, AO/EB double fluorescence staining and flow cytometric assays were performed to assess cell apoptosis. Transwell and wound healing assays were selected to evaluate migratory and invasive property of cells. Protein levels, such as PCNA, Bax, Bcl-2, and several epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers, including E-cadherin, N-cadherin and Vimentin, were detected by western blot assays. Furthermore, we use a R2 platform to evaluate the correlation between LINC00261 and EMT makers and predict the overall survival and relapse-free survival for CCA patients by the expression of LINC00261/ EMT makers.

RESULTS

LINC00261 was overexpressed in cancerous tissues and CCA cell lines compared with adjacent tissues and HIBEC, respectively. Up-regulation of LINC00261 was related to larger tumor size (p = 0.009), positive lymph node metastasis (p = 0.021), advanced TNM stages (p = 0.017) and higher postoperative recurrence (p = 0.009) for CCA patients. Additionally, univariate and multivariate analysis displayed that LINC00261 an independent prognostic factor in CCA patients. Knockdown of LINC00261 expression in RBE and QBC939 cell lines inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion property and increased cell apoptosis and the EMT progression. Moreover, there was a strong correlation between LINC00261 and E-cadherin (CDH1) (p < 0.05), and low expression of E-cadherin (CDH1) has a poor overall survival and relapse-free survival in CCA patients (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Overall, high level of LINC00261 in CCA predicts a poor prognosis, and promotes a metastasis via EMT process. Thus, LINC00261 could be a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for CCA, and in the high level of LINC00261 in CCA, E-cadherin or CDH1 might be an effective factor for tumor metastasis or poor prognosis.

Cholangiocarcinoma: a site-specific update on the current state of surgical management and multi-modality therapy

Biliary tract cancers (BTC) are rare, heterogeneous malignancies that include cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer (GBC). Cholangiocarcinoma subtypes differ by anatomic location and molecular profile. Currently, resection with lymphadenectomy is the only curative treatment of locally advanced cholangiocarcinoma. Given the high risk of recurrence, multi-modality therapy spanning surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy should be considered. Current data is discordant and there is limited prospective data to support an optimal treatment regimen, though recent studies have demonstrated the utility of adjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiation in specific settings and patient populations. There is a potential role for neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with resectable disease or chemoradiation in select patients with unresectable, locally advanced disease. Randomized clinical trials are necessary to establish the effectiveness of therapies specific to disease sites, especially with the emerging role of immunotherapy and targeted therapy to actionable mutations.

Prognostic Impact of Tumor Multinodularity in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of tumor multinodularity in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remains debated. We aimed to evaluate the impact of tumor multinodularity according to the presence and distribution of multiples ICC's nodules.

METHODS

A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of patients undergoing resection for ICC from January 1995 to September 2017 was performed. Prognostic factors for survival were assessed by multivariate Cox analysis. Tumoral nodules were defined according to their number (single and multiple) and localization (satellites and contralateral).

RESULTS

Out of 120 selected patients, 64 (53%) had single and 56 (47%) had multiple lesions. Multiple lesions included tumors with satellites (n = 40; 71.5%) and tumors with contralateral lesions (n = 16; 28.5%). Patients with multiple tumors had significantly larger mean main lesion size (p = 0.02), required a higher rate of perioperative transfusion (p = 0.04), had a greater rate of lymph node involvement (p < 0.0001), vascular invasion (p = 0.04), and poor differentiation (p = 0.04) than single tumors. Patients with single tumors experienced a 5-year survival significantly longer (40%) than patients with multiple tumors (14%; p = 0.004). Patients having tumors with satellites had inferior median overall survival and 5-year survival rates (20 months, 7%) compared with patients with contralateral tumors (33.6 months, 29%) (p = 0.09). Multivariable analysis identified tumor multinodularity, morbidity, tumor size < 5 cm, poor differentiation, and lymph node involvement as independent prognostic factors for overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Tumor multinodularity represents an independent risk factor for survival in ICCs and identifies a category of patients in need of more effective perioperative treatment.

Preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratios as independent predictors of T stages in hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between preoperative inflammatory markers (neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR)) and different American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) T stages in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods: A total of 101 patients who underwent surgical treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma between 2003 and 2014 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Receiver-operating curves were used to calculate optimal cutoff values for the NLR and the PLR. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify whether the NLR and PLR can independently predict different AJCC T stages.

Results: Multivariate analysis showed that higher NLR and PLR independently predicted advanced AJCC T stages (OR 3.74, 95% CI 1.09–12.83, P=0.036; and OR 7.86, 95% CI 2.25–27.43, P=0.001, respectively). At a threshold of 2.75, the NLR was 75.9% sensitive and 66.7% specific for different AJCC T stages; at a threshold of 172.25, the PLR was 65.5% sensitive and 80.6% specific.

Conclusion: Preoperative NLR and PLR can be used as independent predictors of different AJCC T stages in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Recurrence Patterns and Timing Courses Following Curative-Intent Resection for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Recurrence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after curative resection is common.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the patterns, timing and risk factors of disease recurrence after curative-intent resection for ICC.

METHODS

Patients undergoing curative resection for ICC were identified from a multi-institutional database. Data on clinicopathological and initial operation information, timing and first sites of recurrence, recurrence management, and long-term outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 920 patients were included. With a median follow-up of 38 months, 607 patients (66.0%) experienced ICC recurrence. In the cohort, 145 patients (23.9%) recurred at the surgical margin, 178 (29.3%) recurred within the liver away from the surgical margin, 90 (14.8%) recurred at extraheptatic sites, and 194 (32.0%) developed both intrahepatic and extrahepatic recurrence. Intrahepatic margin recurrence (median 6.0 m) and extrahepatic-only recurrence (median 8.0 m) tended to occur early, while intrahepatic recurrence at non-margin sites occurred later (median 14.0 m; p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, surgical margin < 10 mm was associated with increased margin recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 1.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-2.60; p = 0.014), whereas female sex (HR 2.12, 95% CI 1.40-3.22; p < 0.001) and liver cirrhosis (HR 2.36, 95% CI 1.31-4.25; p = 0.004) were both associated with an increased risk of intrahepatic recurrence at other sites. Median survival after recurrence was better among patients who underwent repeat curative-intent surgery (48.7 months) versus other treatments (9.7 months) [p < 0.001].

CONCLUSIONS

Different recurrence patterns and timing of recurrence suggest biological heterogeneity of ICC tumor recurrence. Understanding timing and risk factors associated with different types of recurrence can hopefully inform discussions around adjuvant therapy, surveillance, and treatment of recurrent disease.

Long-term outcomes of patients with intraductal growth sub-type of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Intraductal-growth (IG) type of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) may be associated with a favorable prognosis compared with mass-forming (MF) and periductal-infiltrating (PI) ICC.

METHODS

The clinico-pathological characteristics and long-term outcomes of 1206 patients undergoing liver resection for ICC were compared based on the ICC morphological classification.

RESULTS

Compared with MF patients, IG patients had a higher incidence of poor/un-differentiated tumor, lympho-vascular, and perineural invasion (poor/un-differentiated: MF, 18% vs. IG, 24%; lympho-vascular invasion: MF, 30% vs. IG, 35%; perineural invasion: MF, 17% vs. IG, 33%; all p > 0.05). The pattern of recurrence was different among MF patients (intrahepatic only: 63%; extrahepatic only: 22%; both intra- and extrahepatic: 16%) versus IG patients (intrahepatic only: 46%; extrahepatic: 25%; both intra- and extrahepatic: 29%) (p < 0.001). Moreover, while 78% of patients with MF had an early recurrence (<18 months from surgery), 59% of IG patients had and early recurrence (p = 0.039). On multivariable analysis, after controlling for competing risk factors, IG patients had a similar prognosis as MF patients (HR 0.90, p = 0.69).

CONCLUSION

While IG patients more frequently presented with more adverse pathological characteristics, the prognosis of IG patients was comparable with MF patients after controlling for all these adverse factors.

Mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: Can diffusion-weighted imaging predict microvascular invasion?

BACKGROUND

Microvascular invasion (MVI) is a risk factor influencing the survival rate of patients with mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IMCC).

PURPOSE

To investigate whether diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) could be useful in predicting MVI of IMCC.

STUDY TYPE

Retrospective.

SUBJECTS

Eighty patients with surgically resected single IMCC (21 MVI-positive lesions and 59 MVI-negative lesions).

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE

Preoperative hepatic MRI (1.5T), including T₁ - and T₂ -weighted images (T₁ WI, T₂ WI), DWI, and dynamic enhancement imaging.

ASSESSMENT

Morphologic characteristics including contour of the lesion, biliary dilation and hepatic capsule retraction, signal features on T₁ WI, T₂ WI, and DWI, and dynamic enhancement patterns were qualitatively evaluated. The quantitative analysis was performed for the size and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values.

STATISTICAL TESTS

Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and the independent t-test were used for univariate analysis to determine the relationships between these radiological parameters and the presence of MVI. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictors of MVI among these radiological parameters. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate their diagnostic performance.

RESULTS

Larger tumor size (P = 0.006) and higher ADC values (P < 0.001) were positively correlated with MVI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the ADC value (odds ratio, 3.099; P = 0.001) was an independent predictor for MVI of IMCC. The ADC value for MVI of IMCC showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.782 (optimal cutoff value was 1.59 × 10^-3 mm² /s).

DATA CONCLUSION

Larger tumor size was associated with MVI and higher ADC values can be a useful predictor of MVI during the preoperative evaluation of IMCC.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:315-324.

A validated proton beam therapy patch-field protocol for effective treatment of large hepatocellular carcinoma

Development of a curative local treatment for large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an important issue. Here, we investigated the dose homogeneity, safety and antitumor effectiveness of proton beam therapy (PBT) using a patch-field technique for large HCC. Data from nine patients (aged 52-79 years) with large HCC treated with patch-field PBT were investigated. The cranial-caudal diameters of the clinical target volumes (CTVs) were 15.0-18.6 cm (median 15.9). The CTV was divided cranially and caudally while both isocenters were aligned along the cranial-caudal axis and overlap of the cranial and caudal irradiation fields was set at 0-0.5 mm. Multileaf collimators were used to eliminate hot or cold spots. Total irradiation doses were 60-76.4 Gy equivalents. Irradiation doses as a percentage of the prescription dose (from the treatment planning system) around the junction were a minimum of 93-105%, a mean of 99-112%, and a maximum of 105-120%. Quality assurance (QA) was assessed in the cranial and caudal irradiation fields using imaging plates. Acute adverse effects of Grade 3 were observed in one patient (hypoalbuminemia), and a late adverse effect of Grade 3 was observed in one patient (liver abscess). Child-Pugh class elevations were observed in four patients (A to B: 3; B to C: 1). Overall survival rates at 1 and 2 years were 55 and 14%, respectively, with a median overall survival of 13.6 months. No patients showed local recurrence. Patch-field PBT supported by substantial QA therefore is one of the treatment options for large HCC.

Perioperative and Long-Term Outcome for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Impact of Major Versus Minor Hepatectomy

BACKGROUND

The objective of the current study was to investigate both short- and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing curative-intent resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) stratified by extent of hepatic resection relative to overall final pathological margin status.

METHODS

One thousand twenty-three patients with ICC who underwent curative-intent resection were identified from a multi-institutional database. Demographic, clinicopathological, and operative data, as well as overall (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared among patients undergoing major and minor resection before and after propensity score matching.

RESULTS

Overall, 608 (59.4%) patients underwent major hepatectomy, while 415 (40.6%) had a minor resection. Major hepatectomy was more frequently performed among patients who had large, multiple, and bilobar tumors. Roughly half of patients (n = 294, 48.4%) developed a postoperative complication following major hepatectomy versus only one fourth of patients (n = 113, 27.2%) after minor resection (p < 0.001). In the propensity model, patients who underwent major hepatectomy had an equivalent OS and RFS versus patients who had a minor hepatectomy (median OS, 38 vs. 37 months, p = 0.556; and median RFS, 20 vs. 18 months, p = 0.635). Patients undergoing major resection had comparable OS and RFS with wide surgical margin (≥10 and 5-9 mm), but improved RFS when surgical margin was narrow (1-4 mm) versus minor resection in the propensity model. In the Cox regression model, tumor characteristics and surgical margin were independently associated with long-term outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Major hepatectomy for ICC was not associated with an overall survival benefit, yet was associated with increased perioperative morbidity. Margin width, rather than the extent of resection, affected long-term outcomes. Radical parenchymal-sparing resection should be advocated if a margin clearance of ≥5 mm can be achieved.

Defining Long-Term Survivors Following Resection of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is an aggressive primary tumor of the liver. While surgery remains the cornerstone of therapy, long-term survival following curative-intent resection is generally poor. The aim of the current study was to define the incidence of actual long-term survivors, as well as identify clinicopathological factors associated with long-term survival.

METHODS

Patients who underwent a curative-intent liver resection for ICC between 1990 and 2015 were identified using a multi-institutional database. Overall, 679 patients were alive with ≥ 5 years of follow-up or had died during follow-up. Prognostic factors among patients who were long-term survivors (LT) (overall survival (OS) ≥ 5) were compared with patients who were not non-long-term survivors (non-LT) (OS < 5).

RESULTS

Among the 1154 patients who underwent liver resection for ICC, 5- and 10-year OS were 39.6 and 20.3% while the actual LT survival rate was 13.3%. After excluding 475 patients who survived < 5 years, as well as patients were alive yet had < 5 years of follow-up, 153 patients (22.5%) who survived ≥ 5 years were included in the LT group, while 526 patients (77.5%) who died < 5 years from the date of surgery were included in the non-LT group. Factors associated with not surviving to 5 years included perineural invasion (OR 4.78, 95% CI, 1.92-11.8; p = 0.001), intrahepatic metastasis (OR 3.75, 95% CI, 0.85-16.6, p = 0.082), satellite lesions (OR 2.12, 95% CI, 1.15-3.90, p = 0.016), N1 status (OR 4.64, 95% CI, 1.77-12.2; p = 0.002), ICC > 5 cm (OR 2.40, 95% CI, 1.54-3.74, p < 0.001), and direct invasion of an adjacent organ (OR 3.98, 95% CI, 1.18-13.4, p = 0.026). However, a subset of patients (< 10%) who had these pathological characteristics were LT.

CONCLUSION

While ICC is generally associated with a poor prognosis, some patients will be LT. In fact, even a subset of patients with traditional adverse prognostic factors survived long term.

CUL4A overexpression as an independent adverse prognosticator in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

CUL4A has been known for its oncogenic properties in various human cancers. However, its role in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) has not been explored.

METHODS

We retrospectively investigated 105 iCCA cases from a single medical institution. Tissue microarrays were used for immunohistochemical analysis of CUL4A expression. CUL4A expression vectors were introduced in cell lines. Cell migration and invasion assays were used to compare the mobility potential of iCCA cells under basal conditions and after manipulation. Then we evaluated the effects of CUL4A on the cell growth by proliferation assay, and further checked the susceptibility to cisplatin in iCCA cells with or without CUL4A overexpression.

RESULTS

CUL4A overexpression was detected in 34 cases (32.4%). Patients with CUL4A-overexpressing tumors exhibited shortened disease-free survival (mean, 27.7 versus 90.4 months; P = 0.011). In the multivariate analysis model, CUL4A overexpression was shown to be an independent unfavorable predictor for disease-free survival (P = 0.045). Moreover, stably transfected CUL4A-overexpressing iCCA cell lines displayed an increased mobility potential and enhanced cell growth without impact on susceptibility to cisplatin.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrate that overexpression of CUL4A plays an oncogenic role in iCCA and adversely affects disease-free survival. Thus, it may prove to be a powerful prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target.

Impact of Morphological Status on Long-Term Outcome Among Patients Undergoing Liver Surgery for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The influence of morphological status on the long-term outcome of patients undergoing liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is poorly defined. We sought to study the impact of morphological status on overall survival (OS) of patients undergoing curative-intent resection for ICC.

METHODS

A total of 1083 patients who underwent liver resection for ICC between 1990 and 2015 were identified. Data on clinicopathological characteristics, operative details, and morphological status were recorded and analyzed. A propensity score-matched analysis was performed to reduce confounding biases.

RESULTS

Among 1083 patients, 941(86.9%) had a mass-forming (MF) or intraductal-growth (IG) type, while 142 (13.1%) had a periductal-infiltrating (PI) or MF with PI components (MF + PI) ICC. Patients with an MF/IG ICC had a 5-year OS of 41.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 37.7-45.9) compared with 25.5% (95% CI 17.3-34.4) for patients with a PI/MF + PI (p < 0.001). Morphological type was found to be an independent predictor of OS as patients with a PI/MF + PI ICC had a higher hazard of death (hazard ratio [HR] 1.42, 95% CI 1.11-1.82; p = 0.006) compared with patients who had an MF/IG ICC. Compared with T1a-T1b-T2 MF/IG tumors, T1a-T1b-T2 PI/MF + PI and T3-T4 PI/MF + PI tumors were associated with an increased risk of death (HR 1.47 vs. 3.59). Conversely, patients with T3-T4 MF/IG tumors had a similar risk of death compared with T1a-T1b-T2 MF/IG patients (p = 0.95).

CONCLUSION

Among patients undergoing curative-intent resection of ICC, morphological status was a predictor of long-term outcome. Patients with PI or MF + PI ICC had an approximately 45% increased risk of death long-term compared with patients who had an MF or IG ICC.

Impact of intraoperative blood transfusion on short and long term outcomes after curative hepatectomy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a propensity score matching analysis by the AFC-IHCC study group

BACKGROUND

The impact of intraoperative blood transfusion (IBT) on outcomes following intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) resection remains to be ascertained.

METHODS

All consecutive IHCC resected were analyzed. A first cohort (n = 569) was used for investigating short-term outcomes (morbidity and mortality). A second cohort (n = 522) excluding patients dead within 90 days of surgery was analyzed for exploring overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS). Patients who received IBT were compared to those who did not, after using a propensity score matching (PSM) method.

RESULTS

Among 569 patients, 90-day morbidity and mortality rates were 47% (n = 269) and 8% (n = 47). After PSM, 208 patients were matched. There was an association between IBT and increased overall morbidity and severe morbidity (p = 0.010). However, IBT did not impact 90-day mortality rate (p > 0.999). Regarding long-term outcomes analysis in the second cohort (n = 522), 5-year OS and DFS rates were 39% and 25%. Using PSM, 196 patients were matched and no association between IBT and OS or DFS was found (p = 0.333 and p = 0.491).

CONCLUSIONS

IBT is associated with an increased risk of morbidity but does not impact on long-term outcomes. Need for IBT should be considered as a surrogate of advanced disease requiring complex resection. Still, restricted transfusion policy should remain advocated for IHCC resection.

Impact of major vascular resection on outcomes and survival in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A multi-institutional analysis

BACKGROUND

Major vascular involvement (IVC or portal vein) for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has traditionally been considered a contraindication to resection. We sought to define perioperative outcomes and survival of ICC patients undergoing hepatectomy with major vascular resection in a large international multi-institutional database.

METHODS

A total of 1087 ICC patients who underwent curative-intent hepatectomy between 1990 and 2016 were identified from 13 institutions. Multivariable logistic and cox regressions were used to determine the impact of major vascular resection on perioperative and survival outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 1087 patients who underwent resection, 128 (11.8%) also underwent major vascular resection (21 [16.4%] IVC resections, 98 [76.6%] PV resections, 9 [7.0%] combined resections). Despite more advanced disease, major vascular resection was not associated with the risk of any complication (OR = 0.68, 95%CI 0.32-1.45) or major complications (OR = 0.95, 95%CI 0.49-2.00). Post-operative mortality was also comparable between groups (OR = 1.05, 95%CI 0.32-3.47). In addition, median recurrence-free (14.0 vs 14.7 months, HR = 0.737, 95%CI 0.49-1.10) and overall (33.4 vs 40.2 months, HR = 0.71, 95%CI 0.359-1.40) survival were similar among patients who did and did not undergo major vascular resection (both P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Among patients with ICC, major vascular resection was not associated with worse perioperative or oncologic outcomes. Concurrent major vascular resection should be considered in appropriately selected patients with ICC undergoing hepatectomy.

A significant cancer burden and high mortality of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in Thailand: a nationwide database study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to examine the burden of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in Thailand and identify the prognostic factors for all-causes of death.

METHODS

We conducted a population-based study of ICC patients admitted during 2009-2013 using the Nationwide Hospital Admission Database, the National Health Security Office (NHSO). There was an average of 1,051,146 patients/year with diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases (GI). All patients with a diagnosis of ICC (ICD10- C221) were included from a total of 72,479 admissions from 858 hospitals. The surgical resection procedures such as the radical pancreaticoduodenectomy, subtotal and partial hepatectomy were analyzed. Data for all patients were censored 1 year post-study or death, whichever came first.

RESULTS

A total of 34,325 patients with ICC during a 5-year study period (on average, 6865 patients/year, with the incidence rate of 14.6 per 100,000 population, per year. The ICC patients had a mean age of 63.8+/-11.6 years and 63% were males. The mean length of hospital stay was 6.4+/-7.3 days with a mean+/-SD cost of hospitalization of $595+/-$1160 USD per admission. There were 659 patients (1.9%) underwent surgical resection. The overall survival of ICC patients with surgery was significantly better than those patients without surgery. Hazard ratio of death for patients without surgery was 2.5 (95% CI of 2.3-2.7). Approximately 14% of the ICC patients died during hospitalization. The median overall survival of all patients after the first admission was 53 +/-0.6 days. From the multivariate analysis, factors related to all-causes of death were: patients' age >60 years (OR = 1.2, 95% CI; 1.1-1.3), length of hospital stay of >7 days (OR = 1.1, 95% CI; 1.02-1.2), male (OR = 1.3, 95% CI; 1.2-1.4), living in the northern part of Thailand (OR = 1.5, 95% CI; 1.3-1.8) and presence of complications during admission (OR = 1.3, 95% CI; 1.1-1.5).

CONCLUSION

The disease burden of patients with ICC in Thailand is significant with the incidence rate of 14.6 per 100,000 population, per year during 2009-2013 and showed high mortality rate of 14%.

Determination of Resectability

The nuances of determining resectability for liver tumors can be difficult to navigate, owing to the variety of primary and secondary malignancies involving the liver, the range of patient-specific factors to consider, and the hepatic anatomic and functional variability that seems inevitable. The basic principles, however, are simple;if surgery is deemed appropriate from an oncologic standpoint, the patient is in reasonably good health, and the tumor can be safely removed without compromising the integrity of the future remnant, nearly all patients will be candidates for resection.

A multi-institutional analysis of elderly patients undergoing a liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Little is known regarding postoperative outcomes of elderly patients undergoing liver surgery for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

METHODS

Five hundred and eighty-four patients undergoing liver resection for ICC between 1990 and 2015 were identified. Perioperative morbidity, mortality, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between elderly (>70 year, n = 129) and non-elderly (≤70 years, n = 455) patients.

RESULTS

Older patients had a higher incidence of complications (elderly vs. non-elderly; 52.7% vs. 42.6%; P = 0.03), as well as major complications (elderly vs. non-elderly; 24.0% vs. 14.9%; P = 0.01); 30-day (0.1% vs. 3.3%; P > 0.05), and 90-day mortality (2.3% vs. 5.5%; P > 0.05) were comparable. Five-year OS and DFS were comparable between the elderly and non-elderly patients (OS, 13.3% vs. 24.4%; and DFS; 7.3% vs. 12.0%; P > 0.05). On propensity score matching, DFS and OS were also comparable among non-elderly versus elderly patients. Poor tumor grade was associated with worse DFS among elderly patients (HR = 1.6, 95%CI 1.0-2.6; P = 0.04), whereas periductal invasion (HR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.5; P = 0.03) and nodal disease (HR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.3-3.9; P = 0.003) were predictive of shorter DFS among non-elderly patients.

CONCLUSION

Elderly patients undergoing liver surgery for ICC demonstrated an increased risk of perioperative complications, but comparable long-term DFS and OS compared with younger patients. Rather, tumor characteristics were more predictive of worse long-term outcomes. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:420-426. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Surgical treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a retrospective study of 104 cases

Objective:

To explore the clinicopathological features, surgical treatment techniques, and prognostic risk factors of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

Methods:

A total of 104 ICC cases were collected from January 2008 to December 2013 at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital and divided into the hepatic hilum lymphadenectomy (HLL, 21 cases), extended hepatic hilum lymphadenectomy (EHLL, 12 cases), and non-lymphadenectomy (NL, 71 cases) groups. The clinical data of the patients were retrospectively analyzed, and the prognostic differences were compared among different groups.

Results:

The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival (OS) rates of all cases were 72.1%, 56.1%, and 43.7%, respectively. The median survival duration was 34 months. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates of the HLL group (42.9%, 28.6%, and 28.6%, respectively) were significantly lower than those of the NL group (78.9%, 62.5%, and 47.8%, respectively). Meanwhile, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates of the EHLL group (75.0%, 56.1%, and 33.3%, respectively) were not significantly different from those of the other two groups. Univariate analysis showed that age, gender, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, differentiation, ferritin (Fer), carbohydrate antigen19-9 (CA19-9) and carcinoembryonicantigen (CEA) levels, lymph node metastasis (LNM), and lymph node dissection (LND) were prognostic factors for the long-term survival of ICC. Meanwhile, multivariate analysis revealed that age, AJCC stage, differentiation, Fer levels, and LNM were independent risk factors for survival.

Conclusions:

ICC patients will not benefit from lymphadenectomy in the absence of LNM. However, systematic lymphadenectomy may improve ICC outcomes if the location of lymphatic metastasis is known. Age, AJCC stage, differentiation, Fer level, and LNM are independent risk factors for survival in ICC.

Can hepatic resection provide a long-term cure for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma?

BACKGROUND

A patient can be considered statistically cured from a specific disease when their mortality rate returns to the same level as that of the general population. In the current study, the authors sought to assess the probability of being statistically cured from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) by hepatic resection.

METHODS

A total of 584 patients who underwent surgery with curative intent for ICC between 1990 and 2013 at 1 of 12 participating institutions were identified. A nonmixture cure model was adopted to compare mortality after hepatic resection with the mortality expected for the general population matched by sex and age.

RESULTS

The median, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year disease-free survival was 10 months, 44%, 18%, and 11%, respectively; the corresponding overall survival was 27 months, 75%, 37%, and 22%, respectively. The probability of being cured of ICC was 9.7% (95% confidence interval, 6.1%-13.4%). The mortality of patients undergoing surgery for ICC was higher than that of the general population until year 10, at which time patients alive without tumor recurrence can be considered cured with 99% certainty. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that cure probabilities ranged from 25.8% (time to cure, 9.8 years) in patients with a single, well-differentiated ICC measuring ≤5 cm that was without vascular/periductal invasion and lymph nodes metastases versus <0.1% (time to cure, 12.6 years) among patients with all 6 of these risk factors. A model with which to calculate cure fraction and time to cure was developed.

CONCLUSIONS

The cure model indicated that statistical cure was possible in patients undergoing hepatic resection for ICC. The overall probability of cure was approximately 10% and varied based on several tumor-specific factors. Cancer 2015;121:3998-4006. © 2015 American Cancer Society.