Management and outcomes among patients with mixed hepatocholangiocellular carcinoma: A population-based analysis

We sought to define the management of mixed hepatocellular carcinoma-intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (HCC-ICC) as well as characterize short- and long-term outcomes of patients with mixed HCC-ICC.

Patients diagnosed with HCC-ICC, HCC, or ICC between 2004 and 2015 were identified from the National Cancer Data Base using the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology codes. Short- and long-term outcomes were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Among 174 454 patients, 86.8% had HCC, 12.1% ICC, and 1.1% HCC-ICC. The incidence of lymphadenectomy was 55.6% among ICC patients vs 15.1% and 34.2% for HCC and HCC-ICC patients, respectively (P < 0.001). A 90-day mortality was comparable among patients with HCC (9.1%), ICC (8.8%), and HCC-ICC (10.5%) (all P > 0.2). While 42.0% of ICC patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy among HCC and HCC-ICC patients was 13.1% and 27.4%, respectively (P < 0.001). A 5-year survival was 43.5% (95% CI, 42.5-44.5), 33.3% (95% CI, 31.4-35.3), 34.4% (95% CI, 29.1-39.8) for HCC, ICC, and HCC-ICC patients, respectively.

Patients who underwent resection of mixed HCC-ICC had a prognosis that was comparable to ICC, yet worse than HCC. Utilization of lymphadenectomy and adjuvant therapy were low. HCC-ICC remains a rare disease with a guarded prognosis that should be treated in a multidisciplinary setting.