Survival after resection of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma in patients with lymph node metastases
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Updated: Mar 1, 2026
Complete Laparoscopic Radical Resection of Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma Type IIIb
Published on: January 17, 2025
Stefan Buettner1, Jeroen L A van Vugt2, Marcia P Gaspersz2
1Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Background:
The aim of this study was to compare patients with PHC with lymph node metastases (LN+) who underwent a resection with patients who did not undergo resection because of locally advanced disease at exploratory laparotomy.
Methods:
Consecutive LN+ patients who underwent a resection for PHC in 12 centers were compared with patients who did not undergo resection because of locally advanced disease at exploratory laparotomy in 2 centers.
Results:
In the resected cohort of 119 patients, the median overall survival (OS) was 19 months and the estimated 1-, 3- and 5-year OS was 69%, 27% and 13%, respectively. In the non-resected cohort of 113 patients, median OS was 12 months and the estimated 1-, 3- and 5-year OS was 49%, 7%, and 3%, respectively. OS was better in the resected LN+ cohort (p < 0.001). Positive resection margin (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.54; 95%CI: 0.97-2.45) and lymphovascular invasion (LVI) (HR: 1.71; 95%CI: 1.09-2.69) were independent poor prognostic factors in the resected cohort.
Conclusion:
Patients with PHC who underwent a resection for LN+ disease had better OS than patients who did not undergo resection because of locally advanced disease at exploratory laparotomy. LN+ PHC does not preclude 5-year survival after resection.
