Vater Papilla-preserving Strategy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Excessive Bile Duct Tumor Thrombus

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) is highly malignant; therefore, continual, multidisciplinary treatments are essential.

In this study, two 78- and 81-year-old men were treated with the Vater papilla-preserving strategy. Case 1 had advanced HCC with BDTT expanding to the common bile duct (B4) and portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) of the umbilical portion. He showed triple-positive tumor markers. He underwent an extended left hepatectomy without bile duct resection following percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Later, TACE in combination with percutaneous microwave ablation was performed to treat four intrahepatic recurrent HCCs. Case 2 had diffuse-type HCCs accompanied by BDTT (B4) and PVTT to the right portal vein. He underwent liver partition associated with portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy without bile duct resection. Six months later, he developed a solitary recurrent BDTT with obstructive jaundice. After percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, he was treated with two TACE from the various feeding arteries. Both patients achieved complete responses and are doing well without viable tumors approximately 2 years after the initial treatment.

The Vater papilla-preserving strategy is essential for obtaining long-term survival and recurrent-free status for patients with HCC with highly extended BDTT.