Aggressive surgical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Surgical treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma remains a great challenge to surgeons because of its low resectability, poor survival, and high operative mortality and morbidity.

The medical and pathological records of 36 patients with a preoperative diagnosis of 'resectable' hilar cholangiocarcinoma operated on by us between January 1998 and December 2002 were studied. The clinical presentations, operative records, and pathology results were retrospectively reviewed.

Twenty-six patients (72%) underwent resection with curative intent. Apart from resection of the extrahepatic biliary tree and porta hepatis lymph node dissection, 85% received concomitant en-bloc liver resection and 4% received ex situ liver resection and auto-transplantation. The margin of resection was negative (R0 resection) in 73% of patients, and microscopically positive (R1 resection) in the remaining 27%. The 30-day hospital mortality was 7.6%. Of the patients, 42% had major postoperative complications. The median survival was 20 months, with the longest survival 75 months. The 1-, 3- and 5-year actuarial overall survival rate after resection with curative intent was 77%, 31%, and 12%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial overall survival after R0 resection was 84%, 42%, and 16%, respectively. Tumour recurrence occurred in 58% of patients.

Aggressive surgery increases the resectability of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. R0 resection provides the only chance of long-term survival of these patients.