Five-year survival of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma: a single-center retrospective study

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma is known for its poor prognosis due to late diagnosis. To achieve long-term survival, curative resection often is necessary. However, after surgical resection, the 5-year survival rates vary from 14% to 48%. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic factors for long-term survival in hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Patients who underwent curative resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma at Samsung Medical Center from January 2000 to December 2020 were included. Demographics, surgical and oncological outcomes, short-term complications, recurrence, pathologic results, and survival were analyzed. Prognostic factors were analyzed with Cox proportional hazards models.

A total of 449 patients diagnosed with hilar cholangiocarcinoma who underwent intent-to-treat resection at Samsung Medical Center from 2000 to 2020 were included in this study. The median disease-free survival was 19 months, and the median survival was 40 months. One-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 82.8%, 53.7%, and 35.8%, respectively.

The 5-year survival rate of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma was 35.8% at Samsung Medical Center. Median survival was 40 months. N2 stage and tumor biology were factors affecting 5-year survival.