Perioperative Management of Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

Results from the european survey on preoperative management and optimization protocols for PeriHilar cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Major surgery, along with preoperative cholestasis-related complications, are responsible for the increased risk of morbidity and mortality in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA). The aim of the present survey is to provide a snapshot of current preoperative management and optimization strategies in Europe.

METHODS

61 European centers, experienced in hepato-biliary surgery completed a 59-questions survey regarding pCCA preoperative management. Centers were stratified according to surgical caseload (<5 and ≥ 5 cases/year) and preoperative management protocols' application.

RESULTS

The overall case volume consisted of 6333 patients. Multidisciplinary discussion was routinely performed in 91.8% of centers. Most respondents (96.7%) recognized the importance of a well-structured preoperative protocol. The preferred method for biliary drainage was percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (60.7%) while portal vein embolization was the preferred technique for liver hypertrophy (90.2%). Differences in preoperative pathologic confirmation of malignancy (35.8% vs 28.7%; p < 0.001), number of mismanaged referred patients (88.2% vs 50.8%; p < 0.001), biliary drainage (65.1% vs 55.6%; p = 0.015) and liver function evaluation (37.2% vs 5.6%; p = 0.001) were found between centers according to groups' stratification.

CONCLUSION

The importance of a correct preoperative management is recognized. Nevertheless, the current lack of guidelines leads to wide heterogeneity of behaviors among centers. This survey can provide recommendations to improve pCCA perioperative outcomes.

Should more aggressive surgical resection be considered in the treatment for Bismuth types I and II hilar cholangiocarcinoma? A meta-analysis

Evidence regarding the optical surgical extent for Bismuth type I/II HCCA is lacking. we aims to evaluate the optimal surgical methods for Bismuth type I/II HCCA. Studies comparing bile duct resection (BDR) and BDR combined with liver resection (BDR + LR) for all types of HCCA patients were searched for analyses, and 14 studies were finally included. The main outcomes were the R0 resection rate and overall survival (OS). For all types of HCCA patents, BDR + LR resulted with higher R0 resection rates when comparing with BDR only (RR = 0.70, 95%CI, 0.63-0.78), and patients with R0 resections had eight times longer median survival and more long-time survival outcomes (3 and 5 year OS) comparing to those with non-R0 resections. Bismuth I/II HCCA patients also showed longer median survival and 3-year OS after R0 resections (P = 0.04). Moreover, there was no significant difference in 3-year OS between BDR and BDR + LR (P = 0.89) and we additionally found BDR resulted in less mortality or morbidity rates. In Europe and US, they resulted the R0 resection rates could be comparable between BDR and BDR + LR (P = 0.18), and Bismuth type I HCCA accounted for 75.8%, while in Asia, BDR + LR still resulted with higher R0 resection rates (P < 0.0001) and the Bismuth type I HCCA accounted for only 40.3%. The surgical approaches may not directly impact patient prognosis, patients with R0 resections are usually associated with improved survival outcomes; for selected Bismuth type I/II HCCA, BDR may be an acceptable option with regard to lower morbidity and comparable R0 resection rate comparing with BDR + LR.

Incidence and Mechanism of Refractory Postoperative Cholangitis After Hepatectomy with Hepaticojejunostomy

INTRODUCTION

Malignant tumors, such as hilar cholangiocarcinoma, have shown improved long-term outcomes, and measures to prevent late postoperative complications are important. Postoperative cholangitis after hepatectomy with hepaticojejunostomy (HHJ) may occur and can significantly decrease the quality of life. However, there are few reports on the incidence and pathogenesis of postoperative cholangitis after HHJ.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 71 cases post HHJ at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital from January 2010 to December 2021. Cholangitis was diagnosed using the Tokyo Guideline 2018. Cases due to tumor recurrence around the hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) were excluded. Patients with three or more episodes of cholangitis were classified as the "refractory cholangitis group" (RC group). RC group patients were divided into a "stenosis group" and "non-stenosis group" according to intrahepatic bile duct dilatation at the onset of cholangitis. Their clinical characteristics and risk factors were analyzed.

RESULTS

Cholangitis occurred in 20 patients (28.1%), with 17 (23.9%) in the RC group. Most patients in the RC group developed their first episode within the first postoperative year. The stenosis group consisted of 6 patients, and their cholangitis was treated with repeated anastomotic dilatation and stent replacement. In the non-stenosis group, cholangitis was relatively mild and treated with antibiotics. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy for these cases showed bile congestion in the jejunum near the site of the hepaticojejunostomy.

CONCLUSION

There are two types of postoperative cholangitis, each with different pathogenesis and treatment. It is essential to assess anastomotic stenosis early and provide the necessary treatment.

Locoregional Approaches in Cholangiocarcinoma Treatment

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare hepatic malignant tumor with poor prognosis due to late detection and anatomic factors limiting the applicability of surgical resection. Without surgical resection, palliation is the most common approach. In non-surgical cases contained within the liver, locoregional therapies provide the best chance for increased survival and disease control. The most common methods, transarterial chemoembolization and transarterial radioembolization, target tumors by embolizing their blood supply and limiting the tumor's ability to metabolize. Other treatments induce direct damage via thermal ablation to tumor tissue to mediate their anti-tumor efficacy. Recent studies have begun to explore roles for these therapies outside their previous role of palliation. This review will outline the mechanisms of each of these treatments, along with their effects on overall survival, while comparing these to non-locoregional therapies.

Forkhead box M1 recruits FoxP3+ Treg cells to induce immune escape in hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Objective

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) is a malignancy related to chronic biliary tract inflammation. Tumor immune escape is a necessary process of tumorigenesis. Forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) could affect the progression of various carcinomas. This study attempted to elaborate on the mechanism of FoxM1 in HCCA immune escape.

Methods

HCCA cell lines were collected to measure the expression of FoxM1 and FoxP3. CD8⁺ T cells were extracted to establish the co‐culture system with HCCA cells and Treg cells. pcDNA3.1‐FoxM1 or si‐FoxP3 was transfected into HCCA cells in the co‐culture system. HCCA cell viability, mobility, and invasiveness as well as levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β and interleukin (IL)‐6 were evaluated. The binding relation between FoxM1 and FoxP3 promoter was verified. HCCA cells with pcDNA3.1‐FoxM1 were subcutaneously injected into mice to establish the xenograft mouse models.

Results

FoxM1 and FoxP3 were overexpressed in HCCA cells. The co‐culture of CD8⁺ T and HCCA cells inhibited HCCA cell activity and Treg cells limited CD8⁺ T killing. FoxM1 overexpression strengthened the inhibiting role of Treg cells in CD8⁺ T killing, upregulated TGF‐β and IL‐6 levels, and encouraged HCCA immune escape. FoxM1 bound to the FoxP3 promoter region to promote FoxP3 transcription. Silencing of FoxP3 neutralized the promoting role of FoxM1 overexpression in Treg cell immunosuppression and HCCA cell immune escape. FoxM1 aggravated tumor development, upregulated FoxP3 expression, increased Treg cells, and reduced CD8⁺ T cells.

Conclusion

FoxM1 bound to the FoxP3 promoter region to promote FoxP3 transcription and recruited FoxP3⁺ Treg cells, thereby inducing HCCA immune escape.

Rapid label-free detection of cholangiocarcinoma from human serum using Raman spectroscopy

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is highly prevalent in the northeastern region of Thailand. Current diagnostic methods for CCA are often expensive, time-consuming, and require medical professionals. Thus, there is a need for a simple and low-cost CCA screening method. This work developed a rapid label-free technique by Raman spectroscopy combined with the multivariate statistical methods of principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA), aiming to analyze and classify between CCA (n = 30) and healthy (n = 30) serum specimens. The model's classification performance was validated using k-fold cross validation (k = 5). Serum levels of cholesterol (548, 700 cm-1), tryptophan (878 cm-1), and amide III (1248,1265 cm-1) were found to be statistically significantly higher in the CCA patients, whereas serum beta-carotene (1158, 1524 cm-1) levels were significantly lower. The peak heights of these identified Raman marker bands were input into an LDA model, achieving a cross-validated diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 71.33% and 90.00% in distinguishing the CCA from healthy specimens. The PCA-LDA technique provided a higher cross-validated sensitivity and specificity of 86.67% and 96.67%. To conclude, this work demonstrated the feasibility of using Raman spectroscopy combined with PCA-LDA as a helpful tool for cholangiocarcinoma serum-based screening.

The pros and cons of the PCC staging system to guide surgical resectability and prognosis

Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PCC) is a malignant mass originating from the bile ducts. There is currently no unified treatment plan, and there are various treatment methods applied in clinical practice, as well as several different staging and typing systems to guide resectability, prognosis and survival prediction. The choice of treatment for PCC is closely related to the stage of the tumor. Accurate preoperative staging is necessary for correct resectability assessment and the selection of a reasonable treatment plan and surgical method; similarly, accurate postoperative pathological staging is necessary to guide further treatment and judgment of the patient's prognosis. A universally accepted staging system facilitates the comparison of cases between different centers, but there is much debate about the classification and staging of PCC. At present, the existing staging systems include the Bismuth-Corlette classification, AJCC/UICC TNM staging, modified T staging, Gazzaniga staging, JSBS staging, and Mayo staging. Each system has advantages, but there is no comprehensive guide for tumor resectability, prognosis, and survival. In this paper, the pros and cons of the different systems for staging PCC in terms of resectability, prognosis and survival prediction are discussed.

Outcome of primary ERCP versus primary PTC for biliary drainage in malignant hilar biliary strictures: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients with malignant hilar biliary strictures can suffer from obstructive jaundice. Controversy remains on the optimal approach to obtain preoperative or palliative biliary drainage in these patients. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to compare the two modalities most commonly used in this scenario: endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC).

METHODS

MEDLINE via PubMed was searched for relevant articles published from 2005 to April 2019. Following outcome measures were used to compare ERCP and PTC: therapeutic success rate, cholangitis, pancreatitis, bleeding, tube dislocation, reintervention rate, mortality such as 30d mortality and in-hospital death, median survival time, drainage patency, duration until decompression and hospital stay. Risk of bias assessment for the retrospective studies was conducted by NOS. RoB 2 was used for RCT. A meta-analysis was performed by using Review Manager 5.3. The certainty of evidence was appraised using GRADE.

RESULTS

Eleven articles of which one RCT and ten retrospective cohort studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria for data-analysis (1417 patients; 784 ERCP, 633 PTC). The combined odds ratio (OR) for therapeutic succes was 3.5 times higher in the PTC group (95% CI 2.05-5.97; high certainty). In terms of cholangitis, ERCP carried a 1.7-fold risk as compared to PTC (95% CI 0.92-3.08; moderate certainty). Patients who underwent ERCP were 11.50 times more likely to undergo a reintervention (95% CI 3.51-37.70; moderate certainty). ERCP was comparable to PTC in terms of pancreatitis (low certainty), bleeding (high certainty) and tube dislocation rate (moderate certainty). Mortality tended to be numerically higher in the PTC group but low patient numbers, selection bias and study heterogeneity did not allow uniform comparative analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with malignant hilar biliary strictures, PTC is associated with a better therapeutic success rate, less cholangitis and lower reintervention rate as compared to ERCP.

A blood-based noninvasive miRNA signature for predicting survival outcomes in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The prognosis in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is generally poor. To improve treatment selection, we sought to identify microRNA (miRNA) signature associated with survival outcomes in ICC.

METHODS

We first analysed the miRNA expression profiles of primary ICC from two public datasets to identify a miRNA panel to detect patients for short-term survival. We then analysed 309 specimens, including 241 FFPE samples from two clinical cohorts (training: n = 177; validation: n = 64) and matched plasma samples (n = 68), and developed a risk-stratification model incorporating the panel and CA 19-9 levels to predict survival outcomes in ICC.

RESULTS

We identified a 7-miRNA panel that robustly classified patients with poor outcomes in the discovery cohorts (AUC = 0.80 and 0.88, respectively). We subsequently trained this miRNA panel in a clinical cohort (AUC = 0.83) and evaluated its performance in an independent validation cohort (AUC = 0.82) and plasma samples from the additional validation cohort (AUC = 0.78). Patients in both clinical cohorts who were classified as high-risk had significantly worse prognosis (p < 0.01). The risk-stratification model demonstrated superior performance compared to models (AUC = 0.85).

CONCLUSIONS

We established a novel miRNA signature that could robustly predict survival outcomes in resected tissues and liquid biopsies to improve the clinical management of patients with ICC.

Optimal timing of portal vein embolization (PVE) after preoperative biliary drainage for hilar cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) followed by portal vein embolization (PVE) has increased the chance of resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (CCC). We aim to identify the optimal timing of PVE after PBD in patients undergoing hepatectomy for hilar CCC.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 64 patients who underwent hepatectomy after PBD and PVE for hilar CCC. The patients were classified into 3 groups: Group 1 (PBD-PVE interval ≤7 days), Group2 (8-14 days) and Group 3 (>14 days). The primary end points were 90 days mortality and grade B/C posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF).

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in primary end points between three groups. A marginally significant difference was found in the incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥3 complications and wound infection (57.1% vs 38.1% vs 72.4%, p = 0.053 and 21.4% vs 38.1% vs 55.2%, p = 0.099). In multivariable analysis, Bismuth type IIIb or IV was independent risk factors for grade B/C PHLF (HR: 4.782, 95% CI 1.365-16.759, p = 0.014).

CONCLUSIONS

Considering that the PBD-PVE interval did not affect PHLF, and the surgical complications increased as the interval increases, PVE as early as possible after PBD would be beneficial.

Characteristic of Perineural Invasion in Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma Based on Whole-Mount Histologic Large Sections of Liver

Background & Objective

Perineural invasion is an important biological feature of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA). We developed a whole-mount histologic large sections (WHLS) of the liver to evaluate peripheral nerve invasion (PNI) of HCCA.

Methods

Using sampling, fixation, dehydration, embedding, sectioning, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, and scanning, the characteristics of intrahepatic and extrahepatic PNI in 20 patients with Bismuth type III and type IV HCCA were analyzed with WHLS. Correlation between the characteristics of nerve invasion and tumor size, vascular invasion (artery, portal vein), degree of differentiation, microvascular invasion (MVI), carbohydrate antigen19-9 (CA19-9), and differentiation degree of HCCA was statistically evaluated.

Results

The WHLS of the liver was successfully established, which enabled us to observe intrahepatic and extrahepatic distribution of HCCA and whether surrounding tissues including nervous, blood, and lymph vessels were infiltrated. Extrahepatic and intrahepatic PNI were identified in 20 (100%) patients and 1 (5.0%) patient, respectively. Vessel density decreased in most invaded nerves presented by CD-34, which correlated with 100% of poorly differentiated and 83% of moderately differentiated tumors (P<0.008).

Conclusion

This study established a WHLS of the liver that can be used for clinical diagnosis and research, and confirmed that extrahepatic PNI is prevalent, but intrahepatic nerve invasion is rare and does not accompany the invasion scope of bile ducts in types III and IV HCCA. In addition, moderately and poorly differentiated malignant tumors are more prone to PNI, independent of blood supply.

The effect of biliary obstruction, biliary drainage and bile reinfusion on bile acid metabolism and gut microbiota in mice

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Preoperative obstructive jaundice is usually associated with higher post-operative mortality. Although external biliary drainage (EBD) has been widely used to relieve obstructive jaundice, the role of bile reinfusion after EBD is still controversial. The aim of our study was to study the effects of biliary obstruction, biliary drainage and bile reinfusion on bile acid metabolism and gut microbiota.

METHODS

Firstly, we created a mice bile drainage collection (BDC) model to simulate the process of biliary obstruction, drainage and bile reinfusion. Then, we analysed the faecal, serum, liver and bile samples to investigate the effects of the process on bile acid profiles and gut microbiota. Finally, we evaluated the clinical effects of bile reinfusion.

RESULTS

We evaluated the bile acid profiles of faeces, serum, liver and bile of normal mice. During biliary obstruction, secondary bile acids can still be produced, and increased in the liver and serum of mice. Compared with no bile reinfusion, bile reinfusion was beneficial to the recovery of T-ωMCA in the liver and bile, and can restore the colon crypt length shortened by biliary obstruction. Only Ruminococcus_1 proliferated when the biliary obstruction lasted for 12 days. In the clinic, bile reinfusion cannot accelerate the patient's perioperative recovery or prolong long-term survival.

CONCLUSION

We have successfully created a mice bile drainage collection model. Short-term bile reinfusion can partially benefit the recovery of the secondary bile acids in the liver and bile, but hardly benefit the patient's perioperative recovery or long-term survival. (247 words).

GNG7 and ADCY1 as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for pancreatic adenocarcinoma through bioinformatic-based analyses

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors in the world. The GSE55643 and GSE15471 microarray datasets were downloaded to screen the diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for PAAD. 143 downregulated genes and 118 upregulated genes were obtained. Next, we performed gene ontology (GO) and The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis on these genes and constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. We screened out two important clusters of genes, including 13 upregulated and 5 downregulated genes. After the survival analysis, 3 downregulated genes and 10 upregulated genes were identified as the selected key genes. The KEGG analysis on 13 selected genes showed that GNG7 and ADCY1 enriched in the Pathway in Cancer. Next, the diagnostic and prognostic value of GNG7 and ADCY1 was investigated using independent cohort of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), GSE84129 and GSE62452. We observed that the expression of the GNG7 and ADCY1 was decreased in PAAD. The diagnostic receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that the GNG7 and ADCY1 could serve as sensitive diagnostic markers in PAAD. Survival analysis suggested that expression of GNG7, ADCY1 were significantly associated with PAAD overall survival (OS). The multivariate cox regression analysis showed that the expression of GNG7, ADCY1 were independent risk factors for PAAD OS. Our study indicated GNG7 and ADCY1 may be potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in patients with PAAD.

Robotic Resection of Type I Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma with Intrapancreatic Bile Duct Dissection

BACKGROUND

Type I hilar cholangiocarcinoma is a malignancy of the extrahepatic bile duct for which margin-negative resection with sufficient lymphadenectomy may provide curative treatment. The aim of this video is to highlight the advantages of optical magnification, articulating instruments, and indocyanine green fluorescent cholangiography to demonstrate extrahepatic bile duct resection from the biliary confluence to the intrapancreatic bile duct with comprehensive hilar lymphadenectomy for pathologic staging.

METHODS

A 58-year-old male presented with obstructive jaundice and was found to have a biliary stricture arising from the cystic duct and bile duct junction. Endoscopic biopsy of the bile duct confirmed adenocarcinoma. His case was presented at a multidisciplinary tumor conference where consensus was to proceed with upfront robotic en bloc extrahepatic bile duct resection with hilar lymphadenectomy and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy.

RESULTS

Final pathology demonstrated margin-negative resection of moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, 1 out of 12 lymph nodes involved with disease, and pathologic stage T2N1M0 (stage IIIC). The patient had no postoperative complications and was discharged home on postoperative day 5. At 6 weeks from his operative date, he was initiated on four cycles of adjuvant gemcitabine/capecitabine, followed by 50 Gray external beam radiation therapy with capecitabine, then four cycles of gemcitabine/capecitabine, completed after 6 months of therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Robotic extrahepatic bile duct resection, hilar lymphadenectomy, and biliary enteric reconstruction is feasible and should be considered for selected cases of bile duct resection.

Impact of Body Mass Index on Tumor Recurrence in Patients Undergoing Liver Resection for Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA)

Simple Summary

Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) is a relatively rare and aggressive hepatobiliary tumor with a general poor prognosis. Surgical therapy remains the only curative treatment option with the best prospects for long-term survival. However, tumor recurrence is frequent, and is associated with a poor prognosis. The identification of risk factors as well as appropriate selection of surgical candidates is essential to accurately predict prognosis and to maximize survival while decreasing tumor recurrence rates. Previous studies have already established a link between an increased BMI and the occurrence of various tumors. At present, data on BMI-associated long-term outcome following curative liver resection in pCCA patients are warranted. This study aims to investigate the impact of increased BMI on patient’s outcome, especially on tumor recurrence, following liver resection in patients with pCCA as well as to evaluate prognostic and risk factors for accurate prediction of outcome in this selective group of patients.

Abstract

Background: The association of body mass index (BMI) and long-term prognosis and outcome of patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) has not been well defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinicopathologic and oncologic outcomes with pCCA undergoing resection, according to their BMI. Methods: Patients undergoing liver resection in curative intention for pCCA at a tertiary German hepatobiliary (HPB) center were identified from a prospective database. Patients were classified as normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m²), overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9 kg/m²) and obese (>30 kg/m²) according to their BMI. Impact of clinical and histo-pathological characteristics on recurrence-free survival (RFS) were assessed using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis among patients of all BMI groups. Results: Among a total of 95 patients undergoing liver resection in curative intention for pCCA in the analytic cohort, 48 patients (50.5%) had normal weight, 33 (34.7%) were overweight and 14 patients (14.7%) were obese. After a median follow-up of 4.3 ± 2.9 years, recurrence was observed in totally 53 patients (56%). The cumulative recurrence probability was higher in obese and overweight patients than normal weight patients (5-year recurrence rate: obese: 82% versus overweight: 81% versus normal weight: 58% at 5 years; p = 0.02). Totally, 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year recurrence-free survival rates were 68.5%, 44.6%, 28.9% and 13%, respectively. On multivariable analysis, increased BMI (HR 1.08, 95% CI: 1.01–1.16; p = 0.021), poor/moderate tumor differentiation (HR 2.49, 95% CI: 1.2–5.2; p = 0.014), positive lymph node status (HR 2.01, 95% CI: 1.11–3.65; p = 0.021), positive resection margins (HR 1.89, 95% CI:1.02–3.4; p = 0.019) and positive perineural invasion (HR 2.92, 95% CI: 1.02–8.3; p = 0.045) were independent prognostic risk factors for inferior RFS. Conclusion: Our study shows that a high BMI is significantly associated with an increased risk of recurrence after liver resection in curative intention for pCCA. This factor should be considered in future studies to better predict patient’s individual prognosis and outcome based on their BMI.

Robotic resection of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: Institutional outcomes of bile duct cancer surgery using a minimally invasive technique

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study is to report our early experience and outcomes, the first in North America, of Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (EHC) resection with Roux-en Y Hepaticojejunostomy reconstruction via the robotic approach.

METHODS

With Institutional Review Board approval, 15 patients who underwent robotic resection of EHC were studied.

RESULTS

Patients were 74 (73 ± 8.9) years of age. There were 9 men and 6 women. Average body mass index was 24 (27 ± 6.3) kg·m^-2 . Mean & Median ASA class was 3. Median Tumor size was 2 (2 ± 1.3) cm. There were no intraoperative complications. Operative duration was 453 (443 ± 85.0) minutes and the estimated blood loss was 150 (182 ± 138.4) ml. No patient required admission to the intensive care unit. Hospital length of stay was 4 (6 ± 3.2) days. There was one patient with Clavien-Dindo Class 3 or greater complication. No mortality was seen in this series.

DISCUSSION

Robotic resection of EHC is safe, feasible, and reproducible with excellent clinical outcomes. Consequently, the robotic technique should be considered in some patients requiring EHC resection.

Liver transplantation for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: patient selection and outcomes

Introduction: Peri-hilar cholangiocarcinoma is an aggressive bile duct cancer. Long-term survival is possible with margin-negative surgery. Historically, unresectable disease was approached with non-curative treatment options. In recent decades, an innovative approach of neoadjuvant chemoradiation and liver transplantation has demonstrated long-term survival for highly selected patients.Areas covered: This is a critical analysis of studies published to date on neoadjuvant chemoradiation and liver transplantation for selected patients with peri-hilar cholangiocarcinoma. A PubMed literature search was conducted for years 1970-2020 with the following search criteria: ['hilar' OR 'peri-hilar' AND 'cholangiocarcinoma'] AND ['treatment' OR 'transplantation' OR 'survival' OR 'outcome']; 'neoadjuvant chemoradiation' AND 'unresectable cholangiocarcinoma'. All peer-reviewed original research studies were selected for review.Expert opinion: Neoadjuvant chemoradiation and liver transplantation for patients with early stage unresectable peri-hilar cholangiocarcinoma can achieve long-term survival in highly selected patients who survive to transplantation without disease progression. There are observed differences in survival for patients with PSC-associated versus de novo cholangiocarcinoma and transplanted versus resected patients; however, these differences are not contextualized by established tumor and patient factors that influence recurrence and survival. Therefore, these results must be interpreted within the limitations of the study designs upon which they are based.

Cumulative damage effect of jaundice may be an effective predictor of complications in patients undergoing radical resection of Bismuth type II or above hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Background

There is currently no preoperative risk assessment system for predicting complications after radical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. This study examined the association between the cumulative damage effect of jaundice (CDEJ) and the complications of radical resection of Bismuth II or above hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods

Patients who underwent radical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma at the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, from April 2010 to January 2018 were retrospectively included.

Results

Of the 171 included patients, 115 (67.3%) patients experienced complications. Multivariate analysis found that CDEJ [odds ratio (OR) =1.0001, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) =1.000027–1.000239, P=0.014], cholangitis (OR =9.638, 95% CI =2.683–34.622, P=0.001), and preoperative bilirubin (OR =1.006, 95% CI =1.002–1.01, P=0.004) were independently associated with the incidence of complications. CDEJ (OR =1.0001, 95% CI =1.00001–1.00019, P=0.024), age (OR =1.083, 95% CI =1.029–1.14, P=0.002), preoperative bilirubin (OR =1.083, 95% CI =1.029–1.14, P=0.002), and future liver remnant (FLR) (OR =0.963, 95% CI =0.941–0.986, P=0.002) were independently associated with hepatic failure. To predict the incidence of complications, the following criteria were used. For the CDEJ cutoff of 2,151, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.69 (95% CI =0.615–0.759), the sensitivity was 66.09%, and the specificity was 69.64%. For the preoperative bilirubin cutoff of 111.7 µmol/L, the AUC was 0.65 (95% CI =0.573–0.721), the sensitivity was 84.35%, and the specificity was 42.86%. To predict hepatic failure, the following criteria were used. For the CDEJ cutoff of 3,931.95, the AUC was 0.605 (95% CI =0.582–0.679), the sensitivity was 51.28%, and the specificity was 70.45%. For the preoperative bilirubin cutoff of 115.9 µmol/L, the AUC was 0.638 (95% CI =0.561–0.71), the sensitivity was 92.31%, and the specificity was 32.58%. For the FLR cutoff of 50, the AUC was 0.638 (95% CI =0.515–0.667), the sensitivity was 48.72%, and the specificity was 78.79%.

Conclusions

CDEJ was independently associated with complications and can moderately predict complications after surgical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Targeted therapies for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: preclinical and clinical development and prospects for the clinic

Introduction: Until recently, cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) was a largely overlooked disease, and among CCAs, extrahepatic CCA (eCCA) was even more neglected. Despite the growing impact of molecularly targeted therapies and immunotherapy, prognosis of eCCA is dismal. Therefore, unraveling the complex molecular landscape of eCCA has become an urgent need. Deep phenotyping studies have revealed that eCCA is a heterogeneous tumor, harboring specific alterations categorizable into four classes, 'Mesenchymal', 'Proliferation', 'Immune', 'Metabolic'. Molecular alterations convey the activation of several pro-oncogenic pathways, where either actionable drivers or outcome predictors can be identified.Areas covered: We offer insights on perturbed pathways, molecular profiling, and actionable targets in eCCA and present a perspective on the potential stepping-stones to future progress. A systematic literature search in PubMed/ClinicalTrials.gov websites was performed by authors from different disciplines according to their specific topic knowledge to identify the newest and most relevant advances in precision medicine of eCCA.Expert opinion: eCCA is a distinct entity with unique features in terms of molecular classes, oncogenic drivers, and tumor microenvironment. Since more prevalent mutations are currently undruggable, and immunotherapy can be offered only to a minority of patients, international collaborations are instrumental to improve the understanding of the molecular underpins of this disease.

New Breakthroughs for Liver Transplantation of Cholangiocarcinoma

Purpose

Liver transplantation (LT) has gained ground as a treatment for cholangiocarcinoma. LT has achieved an established role as curative treatment for unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma (hCCA), and there are emerging data supporting its use in select patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). This review explores the current frontiers and future directions of LT for CCA.

Recent Findings

Results of retrospective studies support randomized trials of LT for resectable hCCA. Select patients with iCCA who have small tumors or favorable disease biology, as demonstrated by response to neoadjuvant therapy, have long-term survival after LT. Discoveries in the biology of iCCA show patients with FGFR and other genetic abnormalities have improved outcomes and may benefit from targeted therapies.

Summary

The outcomes of LT for CCA support its increased utilization. Policies should be considered to increase accessibility of donor organs for patients with iCCA.

FOXK1 plays an oncogenic role in the progression of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC) has a poor outcome in terms of survival. Forkhead box K1 (FOXK1) dysregulation is critical in solid tumors, which serves a pivotal role in the biological characteristics, such as invasion and migration, but its expression and functions in HC are unclear. The present study investigated the clinical significance and biological functions of FOXK1 in HC. Tumor microarrays and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate FOXK1 in HC and its expression was modulated to determine its effects on chemoresistance and tumorigenesis. FOXK1 was highly expressed in HC and cell lines, which was associated with tumor invasion, regional lymph node metastasis, tumor recurrence and poor prognosis. Silencing FOXK1 in HC cells inhibited invasion and migration, upregulated E-cadherin, and downregulated vimentin, matrix metallopeptidase 9 and Twist in HC cells. Sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin was increased, and glutathione S-transferase π, multidrug resistance mutation 1 and P-glycoprotein expression levels were downregulated in RBE cells in vitro following FOXK1 knockdown. These results indicated that FOXK1 plays an oncogenic role in HC progression and can serve as a novel therapeutic target for HC.

Prognostic Relevance of the Eighth Edition of TNM Classification for Resected Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

In our study, we evaluated and compared the prognostic value and performance of the 6th, 7th, and 8th editions of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system in patients undergoing surgery for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHC).

METHODS

Patients undergoing liver surgery with curative intention for PHC between 2002 and 2019 were identified from a prospective database. Histopathological parameters and stage of the PHC were assessed according to the 6th, 7th, and 8th editions of the tumor node metastasis (TNM) classification. The prognostic accuracy between staging systems was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) model.

RESULTS

Data for a total of 95 patients undergoing liver resection for PHC were analyzed. The median overall survival time was 21 months (95% CI 8.1-33.9), and the three- and five-year survival rates were 46.1% and 36.2%, respectively. Staging according to the 8th edition vs. the 7th edition resulted in the reclassification of 25 patients (26.3%). The log-rank p-values for the 7th and 8th editions were highly statistically significant (p ≤ 0.01) compared to the 6th edition (p = 0.035). The AJCC 8th edition staging system showed a trend to better discrimination, with an AUC of 0.69 (95% CI: 0.52-0.84) compared to 0.61 (95% CI: 0.51-0.73) for the 7th edition. Multivariate survival analysis revealed male gender, age >65 years, positive resection margins, presence of distant metastases, poorly tumor differentiation, and lymph node involvement, such as no caudate lobe resection, as independent predictors of poor survival (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In the current study, the newly released 8th edition of AJCC staging system showed no significant benefit compared to the previous 7th edition in predicting the prognosis of patients undergoing liver resection for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. Further research may help to improve the prognostic value of the AJCC staging system for PHC-for instance, by identifying new prognostic markers or staging criteria, which may improve that individual patient's outcome.

Current Advances in Minimally Invasive Surgical Management of Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

While the safety of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has been reported for several liver malignancies, the role of MIS in the management of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) has been poorly defined.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was performed utilizing MEDLINE/PubMed and Web of Science databases up to January 2020 to assess the safety and feasibility of MIS in the management of patients with pCCA.

RESULTS

Limited data exist on the MIS approach to treat pCCA. Staging laparoscopy carries a low diagnostic yield and typically is used only in select patients with high suspicion of metastatic disease. Data on the use of MIS approach for resection of pCCA have largely been limited to case reports or small case series. A MIS approach to pCCA resection has been demonstrated to be feasible and safe, yet in most series the surgeon failed to include resection of the caudate lobe. Given that caudate lobe involvement occurs in 31-98% of patients with pCCA, incomplete resection of the caudate lobe may be associated with higher local recurrence. More recently, several surgeons have reported complete R0 surgical with removal of the caudate lobe using a MIS approach. While patients may have a shorter length-of-stay, the true benefit of the MIS approach for pCCA needs to be better defined.

CONCLUSIONS

MIS may be a safe and feasible approach at high-volume centers with robust expertise in the management of patients with pCCA. Further studies with larger number of patients are required prior to universal application of MIS for pCCA.

The effect and safety of preoperative biliary drainage in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma: an updated meta-analysis

Background

The effect and safety of preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) in patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma are still controversial; the aim of our study is to evaluate all aspects of PBD.

Methods

All included studies featured PBD versus non-PBD (NPBD) groups were from 1996 to 2019 and were extracted from Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, and Science Citation Index Expanded.

Results

Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this analysis. PBD may lead to a significantly higher incidence of overall morbidities (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.53, 0.85; P = 0.0009) and intraoperative transfusions (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.55, 0.94; P = 0.02); moreover, bile leakage (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.24, 1.41; P = 0.04), infection (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.20, 0.47; P < 0.00001), and cholangitis (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.007, 0.48; P = 0.0007) are also related to PBD. However, NPBD was associated with more frequent hepatic insufficiency (OR 3.09, 95% CI 1.15, 8.31; P = 0.03). In the subgroup meta-analysis, the differences in the outcomes of bile leakage and overall morbidity lost significance between the PBD and NPBD groups when the mean total serum bilirubin (TSB) concentration was above 15 mg/dl.

Conclusion

Meta-analysis demonstrated that compared to NPBD, PBD is associated with a greater risk of several kinds of infection and morbidities, but its ability to reduce postoperative hepatic insufficiency cannot be ignored. In patients with a high TSB concentration, PBD tends to be a better choice. However, these results need to be confirmed in a future prospective randomized trial with large samples to clarify the effects and find a specific TSB concentration for PBD.

Risk factors and characteristics of young patients with the biliary tract carcinoma: results of a project study for biliary surgery by the Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery

PURPOSE

This study aimed to elucidate the characteristics of biliary tract carcinoma (BTC) in young patients.

METHODS

This is a nationwide multicenter, retrospective cohort study supervised by the Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery (JSHBPS). Clinicopathological data of patients aged <50 years diagnosed with BTC from January 1997 to December 2011 were collected from 211 training institutes for highly advanced surgery registered by the JHBPS.

RESULTS

Data of 774 young patients aged <50 years were obtained from 102 institutes. Pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) (10.6%) was most frequently associated with young BTC. However, organic solvents caused by printing or other occupations were only 2.5%. PBM was further associated with early onset of BTC and was noted in 38.9% of patients aged <30 years. Subgroup analysis revealed that the distributions of PBM, choledochal cysts, cholelithiasis, hepatitis B virus, and past history of cancer were significantly varied depending on the site of BTC. These results suggested that each site of BTC has a different mechanism for cancer development.

CONCLUSION

Although the most frequent factor for young BTC patients was PBM, cancer-associated factors were dramatically different in each BTC site. These results might be useful to elucidate the etiology of young BTC patients.

Robotic Resection of Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma is the most common malignant neoplasm of the biliary tract. Surgical resection is the only curative modality of treatment. The aim of this video is to present a robotic left hepatectomy extended to caudate lobe, combined with bile duct resection, lymphadenectomy, and Roux-en-Y biliary reconstruction.

METHODS

A 76-year-old female presented with progressive jaundice due to hilar cholangiocarcinoma. She underwent chemoradiation and after 5 months of treatment was referred for second opinion; imaging reevaluation showed objective response and no arterial invasion. Multidisciplinary team decided for radical treatment, which consisted in robotic left hepatectomy, caudate lobe resection, resection of bile duct, lymphadenectomy, and hepaticojejunostomy.

RESULTS

Operative time was 8 h. Estimated blood loss was 740 mL (received 2 U). The patient's recovery was complicated by drainage clogging resulting in fever and perihepatic fluid collection, successfully treated by change of drainage. Pathology confirmed cholangiocarcinoma with free surgical margins (T1aN0). The patient is well, with no signs of disease 5 months after the procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

Robotic resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma is feasible and safe. The robotic approach has some technical advantages over laparoscopic approach. This video may help oncological surgeons to perform this complex procedure.

Robotic radical surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma: A single-centre case series

BACKGROUND

Radical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma is considered one of the most complicated abdominal operations. We report our initial experience with robotic radical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS

Between March 2017 and February 2019, the perioperative outcomes of 48 patients were analysed. In addition, there were two techniques for hepaticojejunostomy in the robotic approach. Comparison of the conventional and novel methods for hepaticojejunostomy was also performed to assess the efficacy of the technique.

RESULTS

The operative duration and intraoperative blood loss volume was 276 minutes and 150 mL, respectively. The overall morbidity was 58.3% and the major morbidity was 10.4%. The overall mortality was 0%. No significant differences in the perioperative outcomes of hepaticojejunostomy were found between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

Robotic resection is a potential alternative to open surgery for appropriately selected patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Further studies are required to detect the long-term outcomes of this procedure.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of caudate lobectomy for treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Surgical resection remains the only potentially curative therapy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) patients. This meta-analysis aimed to review the current evidence on perioperative and long-term outcomes of routine caudate lobe resection (CLR) for surgical treatment of hilar CCC.

METHODS

A systematic literature search using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases was performed for studies providing comparative data on perioperative and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing resection for hilar CCC with and without CLR. The MINORS score was used for quality assessment. For time-to-event outcomes hazard ratios (HRs) and associated 95% CI were extracted from identified studies, whereas risk ratios (RRs) were calculated for overall morbidity, mortality, and resection margin status. Meta-analyses were carried out using random-effects models.

RESULTS

Eight studies involving 1350 patients met the inclusion criteria. The quality of the included studies was low to moderate. CLR resulted in significantly improved overall survival (HR 0.49; 95%CI 0.32-0.75, P < 0.01). Postoperative morbidity (RR 0.93; 95% CI 0.77-1.13; P = 0.48) and mortality (RR 1.01; 95% CI 0.42-2.41; P = 0.99) rates were comparable between both groups. Patients without concomitant CLR were at higher risk for residual tumor at the resection margin (RR 1.40; 95% CI 1.09-1.80; P = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

CLR is associated with improved long-term survival and negative tumor margins after resection of hilar CCC with no adverse impact on perioperative outcomes. CLR might provide the potential to become a standard-of-care procedure in the surgical management of hilar CCC.

Survey of preoperative management protocol for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma at 10 Japanese high-volume centers with a combined experience of 2,778 cases

BACKGROUND

In Japan, strategies for preoperative management of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHC) have evolved over the last decade; the operative mortality has significantly reduced to <5%.

METHODS

A questionnaire was sent to 10 institutions based on their case volume. Questionnaire was based on: (1) preoperative biliary drainage, (2) bile replacement, (3) role of synbiotics, (4) remnant liver volume enhancement, (5) predicted remnant liver function, (6) imaging, (7) nutrition, and (8) role of Inchinkoto.

RESULTS

The median case volume was 226 (range 105-889) cases, respectively. Eight institutions preferred endoscopic nasobiliary drainage and two preferred endoscopic biliary stenting for biliary drainage. Nine used bile replacement within 2-3 days of biliary drainage. Four used synbiotics preoperatively. The median cutoff value for future remnant liver volume and serum total bilirubin, at which portal vein embolization (PVE) is done, is <40% and <4 mg/dl. The median interval between PVE and surgery was 3-4 weeks. To predict remnant liver function, indocyanine green retention (n = 8) and clearance rate (n = 2) were mainly used. Five used Inchinkoto to improve liver function. Nine used multidetector computed tomography and direct cholangiography for surgical planning.

CONCLUSION

With appropriate preoperative management of PHC, surgical morbidity and mortality can be reduced. This survey can provide recommendations to improve PHC perioperative outcomes.

Our Rationale of Initiating Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma: A Proposal of Criteria for "Borderline Resectable" in the Field of Surgery for Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The concept of "borderline resectable" was recently introduced to the field of surgery for pancreatic cancer, and surgical outcomes for this disease with extremely dismal prognosis have improved since the introduction of this concept. However, no such concept has yet been introduced to the field of surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCca).

AIM

To determine a definition and criteria for "borderline resectable" in the field of surgery for HCca.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 88 patients undergoing curative-intent surgery for HCca at our institution between May 1992 and December 2008 to clarify independent prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Survival outcomes were obtained for these 88 patients, with a 5-year overall survival rate of 31.8%. Independent factors predictive of cancer death were determined by multivariate analysis to be the presence of regional lymph node metastasis (LNM) and pathological confirmed vascular invasion (VI). Cumulative survival rates of 23 patients with both LNM and VI who underwent surgery were significantly worse than those of the remaining 65 surgically treated patients and similar to those of 26 patients who were considered to have unresectable disease and treated with non-surgical multidisciplinary treatment during the same study period.

CONCLUSION

Outcomes of surgery for cases of HCca showing regional LNM and VI were no better than those of non-surgical treatment for unresectable disease. Coexistence of these two factors indicates oncologically dismal condition and thus such cases should be considered "borderline resectable." Treatments additional to surgery are required for "borderline resectable" cases to obtain better outcomes.

Comparing the efficacy of initial percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with stenting for relief of biliary obstruction in unresectable cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

In patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CC), management of biliary obstruction commonly involves either up-front percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) or initial endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with stent placement. The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy and of initial ERCP with stent placement with efficacy of initial PTBD in management of biliary obstruction in CC.

METHODS

A single-center database of patients with unresectable CC treated between 2006 and 2017 was queried for patients with biliary obstruction who underwent either PTBD or ERCP. Groups were compared with respect to patient, tumor, procedure, and outcome variables.

RESULTS

Of 87 patients with unresectable CC and biliary obstruction, 69 (79%) underwent initial ERCP while 18 (21%) underwent initial PTBD. Groups did not differ significantly with respect to age, gender, or tumor location. Initial procedure success did not differ between the groups (94% ERCP vs 89% PTBD, p = 0.339). Total number of procedures did not differ significantly between the two groups (ERCP median = 2 vs. PTC median = 2.5, p = 0.83). 21% of patients required ERCP after PTBD compared to 25% of patients requiring PTBD after ERCP (p = 1.00). Procedure success rate (97% ERCP vs. 93% PTBD, p = 0.27) and rates of cholangitis (22% ERCP vs. 17% PTBD, p = 0.58) were similar between the groups. Number of hospitalizations since initial intervention did not differ significantly between the two groups (ERCP median = 1 vs. PTC median = 3.5, p = 0.052).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with CC and biliary obstruction, initial ERCP with stent placement and initial PTBD both represent safe and effective methods of biliary decompression. Initial ERCP and stenting should be considered for relief of biliary obstruction in such patients in centers with advanced endoscopic capabilities.

Long non-coding RNA LOXL1-AS1 acts as a ceRNA for miR-324-3p to contribute to cholangiocarcinoma progression via modulation of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1

Accumulating evidence has appreciated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as novel prognostic markers and therapeutic targets in malignant carcinomas. Here, we aim to investigate the value of a novel cancer-related lncRNA, LOXL1-AS1, in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). LOXL1-AS1 was found overexpressed in CCA tissues screened by high-throughput sequencing technology. Upregulation of LOXL1-AS1 was identified by TCGA database and qRT-PCR analysis. Additionally, upregulation of LOXL1-AS1 was associated with lymph node invasion, advanced TNM stages and unfavorable prognosis. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments were conducted and validated that LOXL1-AS1 could facilitate cell proliferation, migration and invasion and attenuate cell apoptosis. Moreover, luciferase reporter and rescue assays indicated that LOXL1-AS1 functioned as a ceRNA to elevate ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) level by sponging miR-324-3p and exhibited the malignant phenotypes of CCA cells, thereby playing an oncogenic role in CCA. Taken together, this study reveals that LOXL1-AS1 might act as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for CCA clinical application.

Relevance of Preoperative Hyperbilirubinemia in Patients Undergoing Hepatobiliary Resection for Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

Preoperative hyperbilirubinemia is known to increase the risk of mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to characterize the associations between the preoperative bilirubin concentration and the risk of postoperative mortality and severe complications to guide decision-making regarding preoperative biliary drainage. Eighty-one patients undergoing liver and bile duct resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma between 2005 and 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Postoperative mortality and severe complications, defined as a Clavien⁻Dindo grade of ≥III, were the primary and secondary outcome measures, respectively. The severe postoperative complications and mortality rates were 28.4% (23/81) and 11.1% (9/81), respectively. Patients with preoperative biliary drainage had significantly lower bilirubin concentrations (p = 0.028) than did those without. The preoperative bilirubin concentration was a risk factor of postoperative mortality (p = 0.003), with an optimal cut-off of 6.20 mg/dL (c-statistic = 0.829). The preoperative bilirubin concentration was a risk factor of severe morbidity (p = 0.018), with an optimal cut-off of 2.48 mg/dL (c-statistic = 0.662). These results indicate that preoperative hyperbilirubinemia is a major risk factor of negative early postoperative outcomes of patients who undergo surgical treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma and may aid in decision-making with respect to preoperative biliary drainage.

Neoadjuvant vs. adjuvant chemotherapy for cholangiocarcinoma: A propensity score matched analysis

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy is frequently used in cholangiocarcinoma as an adjunct to surgical resection, but the appropriate sequence of chemotherapy with surgery is unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Using the National Cancer Database, we identified patients who underwent surgery and chemotherapy for stage I-III cholangiocarcinoma between 2006 and 2014. The propensity score reflecting the probability of receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy was estimated by multivariate logistic regression method. Patients in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy study arms were then propensity-matched in 1:3 ratios using the nearest neighbor method. Overall Survival (OS) in the matched data set was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazard regression model.

RESULTS

Of the 1450 patients who met our inclusion criteria, 299 (20.6%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy while 1151 (79.3%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. The median age at diagnosis was 63 years. 278 patients in the neoadjuvant group were matched to 700 patients in the adjuvant group. In the matched cohort, patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy had a superior OS compared to those who received adjuvant chemotherapy (Median OS: 40.3 vs. 32.8 months; HR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.64-0.94, p = 0.01). The 1- and 5-year OS rates for the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group were 85.8% and 42.5% respectively compared to 84.6% and 31.7% for the adjuvant chemotherapy group.

CONCLUSION

In this large national database study, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a longer OS in a select group of patients with cholangiocarcinoma compared to those who underwent upfront surgical resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy.

E2F1-induced upregulation of long non-coding RNA LMCD1-AS1 facilitates cholangiocarcinoma cell progression by regulating miR-345-5p/COL6A3 pathway

Cholangiocarcinomas (CCA) is a refractory cancer with increasing incidence worldwide. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to associate with the occurrence and development of CCA. A previous study identified upregulation of LMCD1-AS1 in CCA tissues relative to their normal counterparts by Agilent human lncRNA + mRNA arrayV4.0. However, the biological roles and molecular mechanisms of LMCD1-AS1-regulated tumorigenesis and progression of CCA remain to be elucidated. In our study, we confirmed that LMCD1-AS1 expression was significantly higher in CCA tissues and cell lines than in normal tissues and HIBEC, respectively. E2F1 could bind directly to the promoter region of LMCD1-AS1 and activate its transcription. Function study showed depletion of LMCD1-AS1 suppressed cell proliferation, clone formation and invasion, and induced apoptosis of CCA cells. Whereas, ectopic expressed LMCD1-AS1 facilitated CCA cell progression. In addition, LMCD1-AS1 could sponge miR-345-5p in CCA cells. Moreover, collagenVI-alpha3 chain (COL6A3) was found as a downstream target of miR-345-5p by bioinformatic prediction and dual luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the oncogenic role of LMCD1-AS1 is partly dependent on COL6A3 expression. Taken together, we reported a newly identified regulatory mechanism of E2F1/LMCD1-AS1/miR-345-5p/COL6A3 axis, which might lead to a better understanding of CCA tumorigenesis and progression and provide potential therapeutic targets for CCA.

Metadherin overexpression in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma is associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis

Metadherin (MTDH) is a protein that is also named astrocyte elevated gene-1, and is highly expressed in a number of different tumor tissues. Although the expression of MTDH is associated with tumor invasion and recurrence, the expression of this protein in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PCCA) and its clinical use have not yet been investigated. In the present study, the expression of MTDH in patients with PCCA was investigated in order to determine its clinicopathological use. An immunohistochemical method was used to detect MTDH expression and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers E-cadherin and vimentin in 66 cases of PCCA. In addition to the expression of MTDH, the clinical and pathological data and the postoperative outcomes were analyzed. The MTDH positive expression rate was 48.5% (32/66) in PCCA. A significantly higher MTDH expression level was identified in the poor tumor differentiation group compared with the well differentiation group (P=0.007). In the positive lymph node metastasis group, a significantly higher MTDH expression level was revealed compared with the negative lymph node metastasis group (P=0.023). No association was noted with regard to the expression of MTDH and the variables age, sex, tumor diameter, tumor grade and tumor classification stage. Positive MTDH expression was significantly associated with high vimentin expression (P=0.037) compared with negative vimentin expression and inversely associated with positive E-cadherin expression compared with negative E-cadherin expression (P=0.030). Survival analysis suggested that the high MTDH expression group was associated with a worse overall survival (OS) rate and recurrence free survival (RFS) rate compared with the low MTDH expression group (P<0.001 and P=0.01, respectively). Cox regression analysis indicated that the Tumor-Node-Metastasis, surgery margin and high MTDH expression were independent OS and RFS factors for PCCA. MTDH expression may serve an important function in PCCA tumor growth and metastasis. Targeting MTDH may have important therapeutic applications for patients with PCCA.

Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare malignancy and accounts for 2% of all malignancies. Incidence is on the increase in the Western world. Cholangiocarcinoma arises from the malignant growth of the epithelial lining of the bile ducts and can be found all along the biliary tree. It can be classified into subtypes based on location: intrahepatic (arising from the intrahepatic biliary tract in the hepatic parenchyma), perihilar (at the hilum of the liver involving the biliary confluence) and distal (extrahepatic, often in the head of the pancreas). Margin status and locoregional lymph node metastases are the most important determinants of postsurgical outcomes.

Impact of Biliary Drainage on Multidetector-Row Computed Tomography on R0 Resection of Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Although multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) before biliary drainage is useful for the assessment of the resectability of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHC), the impact of biliary drainage on MDCT images before surgical resection for PHC has been poorly studied, and its possible consequences for R0 resection of PHC remain unclear. This study was performed to compare the surgical outcomes of patients with PHC who underwent MDCT before versus after biliary drainage.

METHODS

All consecutive patients who underwent major hepatectomy extending to segment 1 with extrahepatic bile duct resection for PHC from 2009 to 2016 were retrospectively evaluated. R0 resection was defined as no residual cancer at all surgical margins. Patients with pathological stage IV PHC were excluded.

RESULTS

Of 142 patients who underwent major hepatectomy, 108 were eligible for this study. Of these 108 patients, 64 (59%) and 44 (41%) underwent MDCT before and after biliary drainage, respectively. The total bilirubin concentration at presentation was lower in patients who underwent MDCT before than after biliary drainage (4.1 ± 5.9 vs. 8.0 ± 7.1 mg/ml, respectively; p = 0.002). Although there were no significant differences in the surgical characteristics or pathological stages between the two groups, R0 resection was more frequently achieved in patients who underwent MDCT before than after biliary drainage [46/64 (72%) vs. 22/44 (50%), respectively; p = 0.03]. On multivariate analysis, MDCT before biliary drainage was independently associated with R0 resection of PHC (risk ratio: 2.38, 95% CI 1.05-5.41; p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

In selected patients, MDCT should be performed before biliary drainage to achieve R0 resection of PHC.

Minimally invasive surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma: state of art and future perspectives

BACKGROUND

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) occurs in the core section of the biliary system and has a strong tendency to broadly invade the surrounding vascular system, perineural tissue and major liver parenchyma. Thus, minimally invasive resection can only be achieved in limited cases. This article reviews the current laparoscopic and robotic surgery techniques for HCCA and analyses the difficulties and limitations of the current minimally invasive surgical techniques for HCCA.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted using multiple electronic databases. All studies involving minimally invasive resections of HCCA were included (up to November 2017).

RESULTS

Twelve studies were included, of which eight concerned laparoscopic surgery of HCCA and four involved robotic surgery for HCCA. For laparoscopic surgery, most of the surgical procedures were limited to partial hepatectomy or even bile duct resection; the post-operative morbidity rate was approximately 38.9% (range 0-100%); those with fewer complications were mostly restricted to Bismuth type I or type II carcinomas. For robotic surgery, only one study concerned caudate lobectomy of HCCA, with a reported median operative time of 703 min and post-operative morbidity of 90%.

CONCLUSIONS

Minimally invasive surgery for HCCA is restricted to highly selected cases and is deemed technically achievable in experienced hands. However, technical and instrumental improvement is needed to reduce the relevant morbidity and popularize the use of minimally invasive surgery to treat HCCA.

Short- and long-term outcomes of middle hepatic vein-oriented hepatectomy for advanced perihilar cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes of the middle hepatic vein (MHV)-oriented versus conventional hemihepatectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHC).

METHODS

From 2008 to 2017, medical records of patients undergoing hemihepatectomy with caudate lobectomy for advanced PHC were reviewed retrospectively. MHV-oriented hepatectomy was defined as full exposure of the MHV on the dissection plane. Predictors of morbidity and survival were identified.

RESULTS

A total of 125 patients were enrolled. MHV-oriented and conventional hepatectomies were performed in 44 and 81 patients, respectively. The curative resection rate, blood loss, transfusion, and survival were comparable between two groups; however, severe morbidity rate was significantly lower in the MHV-oriented group (9.1% vs 38.3%, P < 0.001). MHV-oriented approach was an independent predictor of severe morbidity, as were the age, bilirubin level, and blood transfusion. Severe morbidity was associated with significantly decreased overall survival and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (median 29.0 vs 46.9 months, P = 0.011 and 20.3 vs 31.1 months, P = 0.003, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that severe morbidity independently predicted shorter RFS (P = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

MHV-oriented approach for advanced PHC is safe and associated with a significant decrease in severe morbidity. Severe morbidity adversely affects survival after surgery; therefore, optimal preoperative preparation and MHV-oriented hepatectomy with meticulous dissection remain of critical importance.

Effect of preoperative cholangitis on prognosis of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes between patients with preoperative cholangitis and noncholangitis patients to determine whether the preoperative cholangitis would be able to serve as an independent predictive factor on hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCC) outcomes.

METHODS

A systematic literature search for reported preoperative cholangitis in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma was performed in 4 databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, published from 1979 to 2017.

RESULTS

In total, the initial search identified 1228 articles. Of these studies only 9 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this analysis. Differences between preoperative cholangitis existing and noncholangitis patients were observed in terms of mortality (RR = 2.29; 95% CI = 1.48-3.52; P = .0002), overall morbidity (RR = 1.15;95% CI = 1.00-1.32; P = .04), Liver failure (RR = 1.15;95% CI = 1.00-1.32; P = .04), Infection (RR = 1.52;95% CI = 1.16-2.00; P = .003), sepsis (RR = 2.40;95% CI = 1.25-4.5; P = .008).

CONCLUSIONS

The results lend support to the notion that in hilar cholangiocarcinoma patients, the existence of preoperative cholangitis is statistically associated with the higher postoperative mortality and morbidity. Also that it increases the risk of liver failure and infection. therefore, it is very important to properly control the preoperative cholangitis before surgery.

18F-FDG PET/CT may be a suitable method for preoperative diagnosis and evaluation of Chinese older patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Background

As the most common cholangiocarcinoma, hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) is a challenge in hepatobiliary surgery and causes a very poor prognosis. This study was designed to explore whether ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT) may be a suitable method for preoperative diagnosis and evaluation of Chinese older patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods

This study enrolled 53 patients (≥ 65 years) with HCCA. ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT scan was performed in all patients within one week before operation.

Results

¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT identified the tumors in all patients (100%). There were 48 patients (90.6%) with the same Bismuth-Corlette classifications determined by ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT and operative pathology, whereas Bismuth-Corlette classifications of 5 patients (9.4%) were underestimated by ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT compared with that determined by operative pathology. ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT identified 19 patients (sensitivity: 67.9%) in 28 patients with lymph node metastases, and 22 patients (specificity: 88.0%) in 25 patients without lymph node metastases, with an accuracy of 77.4%. ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT identified 8 patients (sensitivity: 47.1%) in 17 patients with liver, peritoneal or other distant metastases, and 35 patients (specificity: 97.2%) in 36 patients without liver, peritoneal or other distant metastases, with an accuracy of 81.1%. ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT identified 17 patients (sensitivity: 73.9%) in 23 patients with unresectable tumors, and 24 patients (specificity: 80.0%) in 30 patients with resectable tumors, with an accuracy of 77.4%.

Conclusions

¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT may be a suitable method for preoperative diagnosis and evaluation, and offer valuable information for effective operation in Chinese older patients with HCCA.

Liver Transplant for Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin Tumor): The Essential Role of Patient Selection

OBJECTIVES

Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin tumor) is a rare tumor entity, which is diagnosed late due to uncharacteristic symptoms. The therapeutic strategy for cure is still liver resection. Liver transplant in cases of locally irresectable tumors represents an alternative potential curative therapy for a select group of patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We present our data of 22 patients with irresectable Klatskin tumors who received transplants between 1996 and 2015. We analyzed relevant prognostic factors for the selection of patients to be transplanted to ensure an acceptable overall survival and reviewed known and established selection criteria.

RESULTS

Four factors (age, tumor size, serum level of carbohydrate antigen 19-9, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage) could be detected for possible patient selection. Positive lymph node status and advanced tumor stage according to the Union for International Cancer Control were confirmed as negative prognostic factors for survival after transplant.

CONCLUSIONS

Liver transplant is a curative therapy for selected patients with irresectable Klatskin tumors, but further prospective studies are urgently needed.

Comparison of the 7th and 8th editions of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Systems for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The performances of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging systems of the 7th and 8th edition were compared using a cohort of patients undergoing surgery for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma at 2 tertiary referral Italian hepatobiliary centers.

METHODS

The American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th and 8th edition staging systems were used to classify 214 patients who underwent surgery for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. The performances of the 2 staging systems were compared using the concordance index.

RESULTS

Using the American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th edition staging system, we found that the 5-year overall survival for stages I, II, and IVa was 71%, 34%, and 34%, while no patients in stages IIIa, IIIb, and IVb survived 5 years. In comparison, when the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition staging system was used, the 5-year overall survival was 71% and 35% in stages I and II, resulting in 23%, 19%, and 22% in stages IIIa, IIIb, and IIIc, respectively. Of note, no patients in stages IVa and IVb survived 5 years. The American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition staging system had a slightly better discriminatory ability with a concordance index of 0.624 compared with 0.619 for the American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th edition.

CONCLUSION

The newly released classification American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition staging system demonstrated a poor to moderate ability to predict prognosis of patients undergoing liver resection for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, which was only slightly better than the previous edition. Further refinements are needed to improve the prognostic ability of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

The impact of caudate lobe resection on margin status and outcomes in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma: a multi-institutional analysis from the US Extrahepatic Biliary Malignancy Consortium

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of caudate resection on margin status and outcomes during resection of extrahepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS

A database of 1,092 patients treated for biliary malignancies at institutions of the Extrahepatic Biliary Malignancy Consortium was queried for individuals undergoing curative-intent resection for extrahepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Patients who did versus did not undergo concomitant caudate resection were compared with regard to demographic, baseline, and tumor characteristics as well as perioperative outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 241 patients underwent resection for a hilar cholangiocarcinoma, of whom 85 underwent caudate resection. Patients undergoing caudate resection were less likely to have a final positive margin (P = .01). Kaplan-Meier curve of overall survival for patients undergoing caudate resection indicated no improvement over patients not undergoing caudate resection (P = .16). On multivariable analysis, caudate resection was not associated with improved overall survival or recurrence-free survival, although lymph node positivity was associated with worse overall survival and recurrence-free survival, and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy was associated with improved overall survival and recurrence-free survival.

CONCLUSION

Caudate resection is associated with a greater likelihood of margin-negative resection in patients with extrahepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Precise preoperative imaging is critical to assess the extent of biliary involvement, so that all degrees of hepatic resections are possible at the time of the initial operation.

The Impact of Intraoperative Re-Resection of a Positive Bile Duct Margin on Clinical Outcomes for Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The impact of re-resection of a positive intraoperative bile duct margin on clinical outcomes for resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) remains controversial. We sought to define the impact of re-resection of an initially positive frozen-section bile duct margin on outcomes of patients undergoing surgery for HCCA.

METHODS

Patients who underwent curative-intent resection for HCCA between 2000 and 2014 were identified at 10 hepatobiliary centers. Short- and long-term outcomes were analyzed among patients stratified by margin status.

RESULTS

Among 215 (83.7%) patients who underwent frozen-section evaluation of the bile duct, 80 (37.2%) patients had a positive (R1) ductal margin, 58 (72.5%) underwent re-resection, and 29 ultimately had a secondary negative margin (secondary R0). There was no difference in morbidity, 30-day mortality, and length of stay among patients who had primary R0, secondary R0, and R1 resection (all p > 0.10). Median and 5-year survival were 22.3 months and 23.3%, respectively, among patients who had a primary R0 resection compared with 18.5 months and 7.9%, respectively, for patients with an R1 resection (p = 0.08). In contrast, among patients who had a secondary R0 margin with re-resection of the bile duct margin, median and 5-year survival were 30.6 months and 44.3%, respectively, which was comparable to patients with a primary R0 margin (p = 0.804). On multivariable analysis, R1 margin resection was associated with decreased survival (R1: hazard ratio [HR] 1.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-1.7; p = 0.027), but secondary R0 resection was associated with comparable long-term outcomes as primary R0 resection (HR 0.9, 95% CI 0.4-2.3; p = 0.829).

CONCLUSIONS

Additional resection of a positive frozen-section ductal margin to achieve R0 resection was associated with improved long-term outcomes following curative-intent resection of HCCA.

Diagnosis and Management of Intrahepatic and Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinomas (CC) are rare tumors which usually present late and are often difficult to diagnose and treat. CCs are categorized as intrahepatic, hilar, or extrahepatic. Epidemiologic studies suggest that the incidence of intrahepatic CCs may be increasing worldwide. In this chapter, we review the risk factors, clinical presentation, and management of cholangiocarcinoma.

CEA but not CA19-9 is an independent prognostic factor in patients undergoing resection of cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) represents a rare form of primary liver cancer with increasing incidence but dismal prognosis. Surgical treatment has remained the only potentially curative treatment option, but it remains unclear which patients benefit most from liver surgery, highlighting the need for new preoperative stratification strategies. In clinical routine, CA19-9 represents the most widely used tumor marker in CCA patients. However, data on the prognostic value of CA19-9 in CCA patients are limited and often inconclusive, mostly due to small cohort sizes. Here, we investigated the prognostic value of CA19-9 in comparison with other standard laboratory markers in a large cohort of CCA patients that underwent tumor resection. Of note, while CA19-9 and CEA were able to discriminate between CCA and healthy controls, CEA showed a higher accuracy for the differentiation between CCA and patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) compared to CA19-9. Furthermore, patients with elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), CA19-9 or CEA showed a significantly impaired survival in Kaplan-Meier curve analysis, but surprisingly, only CEA but not CA19-9 represented an independent predictor of survival in multivariate Cox-regression analysis. Our data suggest that CEA might help to identify CCA patients with an unfavourable prognosis after tumor resection.