Abstract:

Background and purpose: Because of the aggressive nature of hilar cholangiocarcinoma and the absence of effective adjuvant therapy, surgical radical resection offers hilar cholangiocarcinoma patients the only choice. Research focus include preoperative assessment, the use of preoperative biliary drainage, the range of hepatic resection, and the range of lymphadenectomy. To investigate the clinical experience and efficacy of combined hepatectomy in the treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: Two hundred and seven patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma treated surgically in the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University form Jan. 2007 to Oct. 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Of the 207 patients, 125 patients who received radical resection (R₀ resection) and the curative resection rate was 60.4%. One hundred and fifty-six cases were treated in combined hepatectomy group, 51 cases in non-hepatectomy group, the rate of R₀ resection was 70.5% in hepatectomy group and 29.4% in non-hepatectomy group, and the difference was significant (P<0.01). Two patients died perioperatively, the main postoperative complications included hepatic function insufficiency and bile leakage. One hundred and seventy- two patients were followed up, the median survival time of the 102 patients who received R₀ resection was 45 months, and the 1, 3, 5 year survival rates were 96.1%, 59.1% and 17.2%. The median survival time of the 70 patients who received R_1-2 resection was 26 months, and the 1, 3 year survival rates were 81.3% and 19.2%, and none of the patient survived for over 5 years. The survival rate of patients who received R0 resection was significantly higher than those who received R1-2 resection (χ²=39.121, P<0.01). In the hepatectomy group was awarded the R₀ resection in patients with postoperative 1, 3, 5 year survival rate was 97.8%, 63.9% and 18.0%, in non-hepatectomy group received R₀ resection in patients with postoperative 1, 3, 5 year survival rate was 83.3%, 20.8% and 8.3%. There were significant differences in the postoperative survival rate between both group (χ²=5.988, P=0.014). Conclusion: Radical excision is the key to improve the long term survival. Combined hemihepatectomy and standardized lymph node resection has significantly improved the radical resection rate and the efficacy of treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Key words: Biliary neoplasms, Hilar, Hepatectomy, Efficacy