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Updated: Dec 13, 2025
The Influence of Liver Resection on Intrahepatic Tumor Growth
Published on: April 9, 2016
Does resection improve overall survival for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with nodal metastases?
Patrick J Sweigert1, Emanuel Eguia1, Haroon Janjua2
1Loyola University Medical Center, Department of Surgery, 2160 S First Ave, Maywood, IL 60153.
Background:
The potential benefit of surgical resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in patients with locoregionally advanced disease has not been definitively determined.
Methods:
The National Cancer Database was queried to identify patients with clinical evidence of node-positive intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Resected patients were stratified by margin status and lymph node ratio (nodes positive to nodes harvested). Risk of death was determined using Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier survival functions.
Results:
A total of 1,425 patients with T(any)N1M0 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma were identified. Two hundred twelve (14.9%) underwent surgical resection. On multivariable Cox regression, R0 resection afforded a survival benefit regardless of lymph node ratio (lymph node ratio > 0.5: hazard ratio 0.466, 95% confidence interval 0.304-0.715; lymph node ratio ≤ 0.5: hazard ratio 0.444, 95% confidence interval 0.322-0.611), whereas a survival benefit was only seen in R1 patients with lymph node ratio ≤ 0.5 (hazard ratio 0.470, 95% confidence interval 0.316-0.701). On Kaplan-Meier, median survival was 11.6 months with chemotherapy, 15.7 months with R0 resection in lymph node ratio > 0.5, and 22.2 months with R0 resection in lymph node ratio ≤ 0.5 (P < .001).
Discussion:
Margin negative resection is associated with a risk-adjusted survival benefit for patients with clinically N1 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma regardless of the degree of regional lymph node involvement.
