Primary carcinoma of the gallbladder. Adjuvant postoperative external irradiation

Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy in resected gallbladder cancer: A SEER-based study

Background

The prognosis of gallbladder cancer (GBC) is dismal. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (ACR) with those of surgery alone (S) and adjuvant chemotherapy (AC).

Method

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database was used to identify patients diagnosed with GBC and undergoing surgery between 2004 and 2015. The patients were divided into the S, AC, and ACR groups according to their treatment. Categorical variables were compared by Pearson's chi-square test, and a 1:1:1 propensity score matching analysis (PSM) was performed. Overall survival was assessed by Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank tests. Subgroup analyses were conducted.

Result

A total of 5451 patients were identified in the SEER database. After PSM, the two-year survival among patients who received S, AC, and ACR was 36%, 39%, and 45%, respectively. ACR was associated with improved two-year survival (p < 0.001), while the survival rates were similar in the AC and S groups (p = 0.127) but better in the ACR group than in the AC group (p = 0.012). Subgroup analyses indicated that while the two-year survival rates did not differ significantly in stage II GBC patients between the groups (all p > 0.05), ACR was associated with significantly improved two-year survival in stage Ⅲa (p = 0.008), Ⅲb (p < 0.001), and Ⅳb (p < 0.001) GBC patients.

Conclusion

The combination of surgery and ACR as the treatment modality provided greater survival benefits for GBC patients, particularly for those with advanced tumor staging.

Postoperative recurrent patterns of gallbladder cancer: possible implications for adjuvant therapy

BACKGROUND

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an uncommon malignancy with high recurrent rate and poor prognosis. This study investigates the recurrent patterns of postoperative GBC, with the aim to guide the adjuvant treatments, including the radiotherapy.

METHODS

Retrospectively analyzed the 109 GBC patients who underwent surgery in our institution from January 2013 to 2018. Clinical follow-up revealed 54 recurrent cases, of which 40 had detailed locations of recurrence. The sites of recurrence were recorded and divided into the tumor bed, corresponding lymphatic drainage area, intrahepatic recurrence, and the other distant metastasis.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time is 34 months (IQR: 11-64). The median disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 48.8 months and 53.7 months, respectively. Through univariate analysis, risk factors for DFS and OS include tumor markers (CA199 and CEA), hepatic invasion, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, TNM staging and tumor differentiation. Through multivariate analysis, risk factors for DFS include hepatic invasion and TNM staging, and for OS is TNM staging only. Of the 40 cases with specific recurrent sites, 29 patients (29/40, 72.5%) had recurrence in the potential target volume of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT), which include tumor bed and corresponding lymphatic drainage area. The common recurrent lymph node groups included abdominal para-aortic lymph node (No.16, 15/29), hepatoduodenal ligament lymph node (No.12, 8/29), retro-pancreatic head lymph node (No.13, 7/29) and celiac axis lymph node (No.9, 4/29). Twenty cases with recurrences inside the potential PORT target volume were accompanied by distant metastasis. Another 11 cases had distant metastasis alone, so totally 31 cases developed distant metastasis (31/40, 77.5%), including 18 cases with hepatic metastasis.

CONCLUSION

The recurrence and metastasis rates are high in GBC and adjuvant therapy is needed. Up to 75% of the recurrent cases occurred in the potential target volume of postoperative radiotherapy, suggesting that postoperative radiotherapy has the possible value of improving local-regional control. The potential target volume of radiotherapy should include the tumor bed, No.8, No.9, No.11, No.12, No.13, No.14, No. 16a2, No. 16b1 lymph node groups.

Real world clinical outcomes of adjuvant sequential chemoradiation in patients with gallbladder carcinomas with poor performance status

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study is to analyze the overall survival, relapse-free survival, and relapse patterns of adjuvant sequential chemoradiation for gallbladder cancers after curative resection in patients with poor performance status.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed clinical records of gallbladder patients with pathologic stage T2-4 or node positivity treated with sequential chemoradiation at our institute between January 2015 and January 2019. Sequential chemoradiotherapy protocol consisted of six cycles of gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 and oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 administered every 2 weekly and postoperative radiation therapy (45 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks) by three-dimensional conformal technique.

RESULTS

A total of 36 patients were included. The median overall survival and relapse-free survival was 26 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.4-30.5) and 21 months (95% CI, 11.8-30.1), respectively. The 2-year overall and relapse-free survival rates were 55.1% (95% CI, 37.9%-72.3%) and 44.7% (95% CI, 27.5%-61.9%), respectively. Locoregional, systemic, and combined recurrence were noted in 2 (5.5%), 14 (38.8%), and 3 (8.3%) patients, respectively. On univariate analysis, tumour grading significantly influenced relapse free survival; nodal stage and overall stage demonstrated a statistically significant influence on overall survival (p < 0.05) with a trend towards significance for lymphovascular invasion. On multivariate analysis, no significant factors were found. Grade 3 and 4 haematological adverse events were observed only in 2 (5.5%) with chemotherapy. No grade 3 and 4 adverse events were observed due to radiation therapy.

CONCLUSION

Sequential chemoradiation is feasible and tolerable with acceptable efficacy in the adjuvant setting in patients unfit for concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Adjuvant radiotherapy in the treatment of gall bladder carcinoma: What is the current evidence

Gall bladder carcinoma (GBC) is considered the fifth most common one of the most aggressive gastro intestinal tract malignancies. Owing to their large incidence randomised controlled trials have hardly been conducted to look into their optimum treatment. Over the years surgical resection has been considered the only curative treatment of these tumors. However, the outcome still remains guarded. The predominant pattern of failure is loco-regional followed by systemic. Hence, local adjuvant radiation has been used by different institutes with concurrent and adjuvant chemotherapy. The large retrospective series with their limitations showed improved survival in patients with regional spread or tumors infiltrating the liver when treated with adjuvant radiotherapy. In the present era with modern radiation techniques and target delineation radiation may further improve upon the impact without adding to the toxicity profile. Hence, radiation in gall bladder cancer needs a relook to optimize treatment outcome of such aggressive disease.

Predictors and patterns of recurrence after curative liver resection in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, for application of postoperative radiotherapy: a retrospective study

Background

The majority of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) who undergo complete tumor resection subsequently develop tumor recurrence. The objectives of this study were to determine the risk factors for IHCC recurrence after curative (R0) liver resection and to identify the feasibility about postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy (RT).

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent liver resection for IHCC between April 1995 and December 2012 at Samsung Medical Center. Cox regression analysis was performed to determine risk factors of recurrence. Patients with a recurrence in remnant liver within 2 cm from the resection margin, with or without locoregional lymph node (LN) metastases, were considered as potential RT candidates. Center-of-mass (COM) distances between the recurrent cancers and the cut surface were measured with MATLAB.

Results

We included 153 out of 198 patients who underwent partial liver resection for IHCC. About two thirds (n = 93, 60.8 %) of patients developed recurrent disease. The median recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 14 months (range, 0–204). Tumor size ≥4.0 cm, LN metastasis and multiple tumors were significant predictors of IHCC recurrence on multivariate analysis. Tumor size ≥5.0 cm was the only factor associated with recurrence beyond the RT field in patients with recurrence. Among 93 patients with recurrence, 16 (17.2 %) patients were recurred in the RT field.

Conclusion

After curative resection in IHCC, more than 60 % of patients recurred, and among recurred patients, 17.2 % were recurred within the RT field. Consequently, for control of locoregional recurrence, adjuvant RT could be carefully considered in patients with recurrence factors. Especially, patients with a tumor size larger than 5 cm should be judiciously selected for adjuvant RT.

Chemotherapy and targeted therapy for gall bladder cancer

Gall bladder cancer is a common cancer in the Ganges belt of North-eastern India. In view of incidental diagnosis of gall bladder cancer by physicians and surgeons, the treatment is not optimised. Most patients present in advanced stages and surgery remains the only option to cure. This review highlights the current evidence in advances in systemic therapy of gall bladder cancer.

Impact of adjuvant external beam radiotherapy on survival in surgically resected gallbladder adenocarcinoma: a propensity score-matched Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results analysis

BACKGROUND

We sought to define the utilization and effect of adjuvant external-beam radiotherapy (XRT) on patients having undergone curative-intent resection for gallbladder cancer (GBC).

METHODS

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we identified 5,011 patients with GBC who underwent resection between 1988 and 2009. The impact of XRT on survival was analyzed by the use of propensity-score matching by comparing clinicopathologic factors between patients who received resection only versus resection plus XRT.

RESULTS

Median age was 72 years, and most patients were female (73.4%); 66.2% patients had intermediate to poorly differentiated tumors, and 19.1% had lymph node metastasis. The majority (75.0%) had "localized" disease by Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results classification. A total of 899 patients (17.9%) received XRT whereas 4,112 patients did not. Factors associated with receipt of XRT were younger age (odds ratio [OR] 5.33), tumor extension beyond the serosa (OR 1.55), intermediate- to poorly differentiated tumors (OR 1.56), and lymph node metastasis (OR 2.59) (all P < .05). Median and 1-year survival were 15 months and 59.0%, respectively. On propensity-matched multivariate model, despite having more advanced tumors, XRT was independently associated with better long-term survival at 1 year (hazard ratio 0.45; P < .001), but not 5 years (hazard ratio 1.06; P = .50).

CONCLUSION

A total of 18% of patients with GBC received XRT after curative intent surgery. The use of adjuvant XRT was associated with a short-term survival benefit, but the benefit dissipated over time.

Adjuvant radio-chemotherapy after extended or simple cholecystectomy in gallbladder cancer

PURPOSE

To analyse results of combined treatment of adjuvant radio-chemotherapy (RT-CT) in patients diagnosed with gallbladder cancer (GBC) after complete resection.

METHODS AND MATERIAL

From June 1993 until July 2006, 67 patients with a diagnosis of GBC who underwent R0 surgical resection and were staged as T1b-2-3N0-1M0 received adjuvant RT-CT. Radiotherapy consisted of whole abdominal irradiation (20 Gy at 100 cGy daily) plus a boost to the tumour bed for a total of 45-59.4 Gy. Concomitant chemotherapy (fluoropyrimidines) was given. Overall survival (OS) and median survival were analysed in relation to different prognostic factors.

RESULTS

With a median follow-up of 90 months, 5-year OS was 41%, in the group who underwent extended cholecystectomy it reached 57% and it was only 27% in those who underwent simple cholecystectomy (p = 0.005). Median survival was 42 months for the whole population, not yet reached for the extended cholecystectomy subgroup and 23 months for the simple cholecystectomy subgroup. When analysing for histological grade, median survival was 23 months for those graded as high grade (III or IV) and 57 months for those of low-unknown grade (p = 0.029). In multivariate analysis, a statistically significant OS benefit was found for those who underwent extended cholecystectomy (p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

In the absence of randomised studies, these data support the use of extended cholecystectomy followed by adjuvant RT-CT in patients diagnosed as stages T1b-2- 3N0-1M0 GBC after R0 resection.

Image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT) for biliary adenocarcinomas: Initial clinical results

PURPOSE

Biliary tract lesions are comparatively rare neoplasms, with ambiguous indications for radiotherapy. The specific aim of this study was to report the clinical results of a single-institution biliary tract series treated with modern radiotherapeutic techniques, and detail results using both conventional and image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IG-IMRT).

METHODS AND MATERIALS

From 2001 to 2005, 24 patients with primary adenocarcinoma of the biliary tract (gallbladder and extrahepatic bile ducts) were treated by IG-IMRT. To compare outcomes, data from a sequential series of 24 patients treated between 1995 and 2005 with conventional radiotherapy (CRT) techniques were collected as a comparator set. Demographic and treatment parameters were collected. Endpoints analyzed included treatment-related acute toxicity and survival.

RESULTS

Median estimated survival for all patients completing treatment was 13.9 months. A statistically significant higher mean dose was given to patients receiving IG-IMRT compared to CRT, 59 vs. 48Gy. IG-IMRT and CRT cohorts had a median survival of 17.6 and 9.0 months, respectively. Surgical resection was associated with improved survival. Two patients (4%) experienced an RTOG acute toxicity score>2. The most commonly reported GI toxicities (RTOG Grade 2) were nausea or diarrhea requiring oral medication, experienced by 46% of patients.

CONCLUSION

This series presents the first clinical outcomes of biliary tract cancers treated with IG-IMRT. In comparison to a cohort of patients treated by conventional radiation techniques, IG-IMRT was feasible for biliary tract tumors, warranting further investigation in prospective clinical trials.

Indication for postoperative adjuvant therapy in biliary carcinoma based on analysis of recurrence and survival after surgical resection

Postoperative adjuvant therapy is mandatory for biliary carcinoma because of its unfavorable prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the indication for postoperative adjuvant therapy in biliary carcinoma. The charts of 139 consecutive patients with biliary carcinoma (37 ampullary carcinomas, 36 distal carcinomas, 38 carcinomas of the gallbladder, and 28 hilar cholangiocarcinomas) who underwent surgical resection were retrospectively reviewed. Recurrence rates and survival rates after surgery were analyzed. Of the 139 carcinomas, the recurrence rates of International Union Against Cancer (UICC) stages IA, IB, IIA, IIB, and III cancers were 9%, 20%, 60%, 83%, and 100%, respectively. The recurrence rates of UICC stages II and III cancers were significantly higher than that of UICC stage I cancer (82% vs 13%, P < 0.001). The 5-year survival rates for patients with UICC stages IA, IB, IIA, IIB, and III cancers were 85%, 75%, 36%, 20%, and 0%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates for UICC stages II and III cancers were significantly lower than that for UICC stage I cancer (21% vs 82%, P < 0.001). Postoperative adjuvant therapy should be given to patients with UICC stages II and III biliary carcinomas because of their high rate of recurrence and the poor prognosis.

Prediction model for estimating the survival benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy for gallbladder cancer

PURPOSE

The benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for gallbladder cancer remains controversial because most published data are from small, single-institution studies. The purpose of this study was to construct a survival prediction model to enable individualized predictions of the net survival benefit of adjuvant RT for gallbladder cancer patients based on specific tumor and patient characteristics.

METHODS

A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was constructed using data from 4,180 patients with resected gallbladder cancer diagnosed from 1988 to 2003 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Patient and tumor characteristics were included as covariates and assessed for association with overall survival (OS) with and without adjuvant RT. The model was internally validated for discrimination and calibration using bootstrap resampling.

RESULTS

On multivariate regression analysis, the model showed that age, sex, papillary histology, stage, and adjuvant RT were significant predictors of OS. The survival prediction model demonstrated good calibration and discrimination, with a bootstrap-corrected concordance index of 0.71. The model predicts that adjuvant RT provides a survival benefit in node-positive or >or= T2 disease. A nomogram and a browser-based software tool were built from the model that can calculate individualized estimates of predicted net survival gain attributable to adjuvant RT, given specific input parameters.

CONCLUSION

In the absence of large, prospective, randomized, clinical trial data, a regression model can be used to make individualized predictions of the expected survival improvement from the addition of adjuvant RT after gallbladder cancer resection.

[Adenosquamous and squamous carcinoma of the gallbladder]

INTRODUCTION

Squamous and adenosquamous carcinomas of the gallbladder have poor prognosis. Because these tumors are silent in the initial stage, they are generally diagnosed in advanced stages.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

We performed a retrospective observational study of five patients with squamous or adenosquamous carcinoma of the gallbladder. There were two women and three men with a mean age of 71 years (range, 68-75). All patients showed abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and weight lost (4-8 kg). One patient presented with acute cholecystitis. None of the patients had jaundice and all had gallstone disease.

RESULTS

Surgery was performed in all patients. Extended cholecystectomy was performed in three patients, cholecystectomy and bile drainage in one patient, and colonic bypass and cholecystectomy in the remaining patient. Pathologic analysis revealed epidermoid carcinoma in two patients and adenosquamous carcinoma in three patients. Two patients were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. All died within 6 months of surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

In both histological types of gallbladder carcinoma, treatment depends on the grade of local and regional invasion and tumor spread at diagnosis.

Adjuvant radiation therapy is associated with improved survival for gallbladder carcinoma with regional metastatic disease

BACKGROUND

Gallbladder carcinoma is a rare malignancy and is associated with dismal outcomes. The aim of this study was to better define the role of adjuvant radiation therapy in the management of gallbladder carcinoma.

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiological, and End Results (SEER) survey from the National Cancer Institute was queried from 1992 to 2002. Retrospective analysis was done. The end-point of the study was overall survival.

RESULTS

There were a total of 3,187 cases of gallbladder carcinoma in the registry from 1992 to 2002. Of the surgical group, 35% were stage I, 36% were stage II, 6% were stage III, and 21% were stage IV. Adjuvant radiation was used in 17% of the cases. The median survival for those patients receiving adjuvant radiation therapy was 14 months compared to an 8 months median survival for those treated without adjuvant radiation therapy (P < or = 0.001). The survival benefit associated with radiation use was only presenting those patients with regional spread (P = 0.0001) and tumors infiltrating the liver (P = 0.011).

CONCLUSION

The use of adjuvant radiation therapy is associated with improved survival in patients with locally advanced gallbladder cancer or gallbladder cancer with regional disease.

Image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy for gallbladder carcinoma

PURPOSE

Clinical and technical parameter analysis of patients treated with ultrasound-based image-guided tomotherapeutic IMRT for gallbladder cancer.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Between 8/2001 and 5/2005, 10 patients with primary tumors of the gallbladder were treated by image-guided IMRT to median doses of 59 Gy. To analyze normal tissue radiation exposure reduction using this novel approach, a virtual plan comparison between actually delivered IMRT plans and re-computed plans with identical inverse planning parameters but more conventional PTV safety margins was conducted.

RESULTS

Average CTV was 379 cm(3), with a mean initial PTV of 834 cm(3). In 9/10 patients, a boost was delivered to a mean CTV(boost) of 171 cm(3) and average PTV(boost) of 241 cm(3). One patient reported RTOG grade 3 acute toxicity. All other patients exhibited Grade 2 or lower acute toxicity. Preliminary median overall survival was 16.7 months (range 3.2-34.9 months), with 5/10 patients alive at analysis. Virtual plan comparison revealed significant organ-at-risk sparing by the enabled PTV margin reduction.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound-based image-guided IMRT is a feasible mechanism of delivering conformal radiation doses to tumors of the gallbladder with acceptable toxicity. Early outcome data with this novel radiation planning and delivery technique are encouraging and comparable to previously reported literature.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in operable gallbladder carcinomas

AIM

To investigate the angiogenic and prognostic role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in operable gallbladder carcinomas.

METHODS

Sixty patients with early gallbladder carcinomas, treated with surgery alone, were investigated immunohistochemically for the expression of VEGF, thymidine phosphorylase (TP) and new blood vessel formation. The results were correlated with clinico-pathological features and prognosis.

RESULTS

An increased VEGF secretion in gallbladder carcinomas was significantly associated with increased angiogenesis but not with patients survival, although high angiogenesis did relate with poor prognosis. TP was also associated with angiogenesis, but only the combined VEGF/TP expression was associated with unfavourable survival. Histological grade was another independent factor of prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Both VEGF and TP expression are associated with high rate of angiogenesis, a factor directly associated with prognosis. The combined expression of these angiogenic factors confer a particularly poor post-operative outcome, speculature.

Is postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy useful for gallbladder carcinoma? A phase III multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial in patients with resected pancreaticobiliary carcinoma

BACKGROUND

To the authors' knowledge, the significance of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in pancreaticobiliary carcinoma has not yet been clarified. A randomized controlled study evaluated the effect of postoperative adjuvant therapy with mitomycin C (MMC) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (MF arm) versus surgery alone (control arm) on survival and disease-free survival (DFS) for each specific disease comprising resected pancreaticobiliary carcinoma (pancreatic, gallbladder, bile duct, or ampulla of Vater carcinoma) separately.

METHODS

Between April 1986 and June 1992, a total of 508 patients with resected pancreatic (n = 173), bile duct (n = 139), gallbladder (n = 140), or ampulla of Vater (n = 56) carcinomas were allocated randomly to either the MF group or the control group. The MF group received MMC (6 mg/m(2) intravenously [i.v.]) at the time of surgery and 5-FU (310 mg/m(2) i.v.) in 2 courses of treatment for 5 consecutive days during postoperative Weeks 1 and 3, followed by 5-FU (100 mg/m(2)orally) daily from postoperative Week 5 until disease recurrence. All patients were followed for 5 years.

RESULTS

After ineligible patients were excluded, 158 patients with pancreatic carcinoma (81 in the MF group and 77 in the control group), 118 patients with bile duct carcinoma (58 in the MF group and 60 in the control group), 112 patients with gallbladder carcinoma (69 in the MF group and 43 in the control group), and 48 patients with carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater (24 in the MF group and 24 in the control group) were evaluated. Good compliance (> 80%) was achieved with MF treatment. The 5-year survival rate in gallbladder carcinoma patients was significantly better in the MF group (26.0%) compared with the control group (14.4%) (P = 0.0367). Similarly, the 5-year DFS rate of patients with gallbladder carcinoma was 20.3% in the MF group, which was significantly higher than the 11.6% DFS rate reported in the control group (P = 0.0210). Significant improvement in body weight compared with the control was observed only in patients with gallbladder carcinoma. There were no apparent differences in 5-year survival and 5-year DFS rates between patients with pancreatic, bile duct, or ampulla of Vater carcinomas. Multivariate analyses demonstrated a tendency for the MF group to have a lower risk of mortality (risk ratio of 0.654; P = 0.0825) and recurrence (risk ratio of 0.626; P = 0.0589). The most commonly reported adverse drug reactions were anorexia, nausea/emesis, stomatitis, and leukopenia, none of which were noted to be serious.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the current study indicate that gallbladder carcinoma patients who undergo noncurative resections may derive some benefit from systemic chemotherapy. However, alternative modalities must be developed for patients with carcinomas of the pancreas, bile duct, or ampulla of Vater.

Palliative and postoperative radiotherapy in biliary tract cancer

Local failure is the primary limitation for cure in patients with BTC. whether or not they have been resected. The use of radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy in the postoperative setting is controversial, but some studies have reported improvement in 5-year survival. In patients with unresectable BTC, EBRT offers effective palliation of symptomatic disease and has resulted in improved median and long-term survival in a small number of patients in most studies. Novel approaches, including neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy combined with OLT, and escalated conformal irradiation, seem to be promising and warrant further investigation.

Thymidine phosphorylase expression in gallbladder adenocarcinomas

The expression of thymidine phosphorylase (TP), a potent chemotactic factor for endothelial cells, was studied in 60 adenocarcinomas of the gallbladder, by use of immunohistochemical techniques. Results on patterns of TP expression were correlated with angiogenesis (anti-CD31), histopathological variables, and patient survival. TP was frequently expressed in tumor cells, stromal cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and lymphocytes of gallbladder adenocarcinomas. The expression was mixed nuclear/cytoplasmic. However, only nuclear TP (TPnuc) expression by tumor cells was correlated with increased angiogenic activity. High angiogenesis, assessed as microvessel density (MVD), was the most significant prognostic factor. The subgroup of patients with TPnuc and medium/high MVD had the worst prognosis as evaluated by the survival curves. Furthermore, CD31+ lymphocytes, frequently seen in carcinomas with high-fibroblastic TP reactivity, were connected with an improved survival. It is concluded that angiogenesis, as verified by multivariate analysis, is the most important prognostic factor in gallbladder carcinomas. In these tumors, high histologic grade and low CD31+ lymphocytic infiltration are also independent predictors of poor prognosis. TP is associated with an aggressive phenotype apparently because of its anglogenic activity. Therapeutic strategies targeting TP may be of value in patients overexpressing this enzyme.

Prognostic role of angiogenesis in operable carcinoma of the gallbladder

The prognostic significance of intratumoral angiogenesis was investigated in 62 patients with stage I-III carcinomas of the gallbladder treated with simple cholecystectomy. Microvessel density (MVD) was assessed immunohistochemically, using the alkaline phosphatase/anti-alkaline phosphatase method and the monoclonal antibody CD31. The mean MVD was 30.5 vessels per x 200 optical field. Using the thirty-third and the sixty-sixth percentile, the patients were grouped into three MVD categories: low (MVD 9-18; 20 patients), medium (MVD 19-31; 20 patients), and high (MVD 32-86; 22 patients). A high MVD was more frequent in well-differentiated adenocarcinomas compared with moderately and poorly differentiated tumors (p = 0.04), but there was no statistically significant association between MVD and T stage, or patients' age or sex. Multivariate analysis, including MVD, T stage, and histologic grade, showed that MVD was a significant independent prognostic factor in carcinomas of the gallbladder (p = 0.001, t ratio 3.3). It is believed that the assessment of intratumoral angiogenesis in patients with operable gallbladder carcinomas may be useful in predicting prognosis and, perhaps, in decision making for postoperative adjuvant treatment.

Nonsurgical management of gallbladder cancer: cytotoxic treatment and radiotherapy

Carcinoma of the gallbladder is a rare tumor entity. Apart from surgical intervention, there is no therapeutic measure with curative potential. Therefore, patients with advanced--i.e., unresectable or metastatic-disease present a difficult problem to clinicians, whether to choose a strictly symptomatic treatment or expose the patient to the side effects of potentially ineffective treatment. Despite anecdotal reports about symptomatic palliation and survival advantages, only unrandomized Phase II studies too small to draw meaningful conclusions have been published thus far. Since there is no standard therapy for advanced gallbladder cancer, patients should be offered the opportunity to participate in controlled clinical trials.

Trimodality Therapy for Advanced Gallbladder Cancer

We conducted a retrospective review of all patients who underwent surgical extirpation for stage IN, stage IV, or recurrent carcinoma of the gallbladder. Between 1991 and 1999 ten patients underwent surgical resection for advanced gallbladder cancer. All patients received adjuvant therapy either pre- or postoperatively. Radiotherapy was used in all patients and chemotherapy in 90 per cent of patients. Two patients subsequently underwent resection for locally recurrent disease. An additional patient with stage II disease initially was also treated surgically for a local recurrence. Surgical management involved cholecystectomy and resection of various amounts of liver surrounding the gallbladder bed and regional lymphadenectomy. Contiguously involved structures were resected en bloc. Resection of recurrent disease included excision of all gross tumor. The median overall survival excluding the one 30-day mortality was 53.6 months (range 8–73 months). Four patients have survived 4 or more years, and currently four patients are alive and disease free at 73, 49, 33, and 8 months. Median disease-free interval after each resection of recurrent disease was 13.8 months (range 4–28 months). We conclude that trimodality therapy in selected patients with stage III, IV, or recurrent carcinoma of the gallbladder is possible and may result in prolonged survival.

Intrahepatic inflow areas of the drainage vein of the gallbladder: analysis by angio-CT

BACKGROUND

The drainage veins of the gallbladder (cystic veins) are important hepatic metastatic routes of gallbladder cancer. We studied the cystic vein inflow portions of the intrahepatic vessels by computed tomography during angiography (angio-CT).

METHODS

The subjects were 27 unoperated pancreatic-biliary patients. After superselective catheterization of the cystic artery, angio-CT was performed, and cystic veins and sinusoidal filling were visualized. We identified the cystic vein inflow routes and the vessels they fed.

RESULTS

We found 72 cystic veins in 26 patients. All cystic veins flowed into the intrahepatic portal branches or sinusoids. The cystic veins took either of two routes: one into the liver through the hepatic hilum (17 patients, 21 veins), taken mainly by the portal branch for subsegment 4a (P4a), the anterior portal branch, and the umbilical portion of the portal branch; and the other through the hepatic bed (23 patients, 51 veins), taken mainly by S4a sinusoid, S5 sinusoid, P4a, and P5.

CONCLUSIONS

Angio-CT is useful for detecting the cystic vein inflow portions of the intrahepatic vessels. It makes possible identification of areas where there is a possibility for micrometastasis of the gallbladder cancer.

Trends in incidence and management of gallbladder carcinoma: a population-based study in France

BACKGROUND

Little is known, at a population level, about the incidence and management of gallbladder carcinoma. The objective of this study was to determine trends in incidence, treatment, stage at diagnosis, and prognosis of gallbladder carcinoma in a well defined population.

METHODS

A series of 484 patients diagnosed over a 20-year period (1976-1995) in a French well defined population was used. Incidence rates were calculated by gender, age groups, and 5-year periods. Prognosis was determined using crude and relative survival rates. A multivariate relative survival analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Age-standardized incidence rates were 0.8 per 100,000 inhabitants for men and 1.5 per 100,000 inhabitants for women. There were no significant time trends in incidence in both genders. The proportion of cases resected for cure increased from 18. 1% (1976-1980) to 42.4% (1991-1995) (P < 0.001) as well as the proportion of cases limited to the gallbladder wall, respectively from 15.7% to 27.8% (P < 0.001). Relative survival rates were 16.6% at 1 year and 6.2% at 5 years. Age, stage at diagnosis, and period of diagnosis significantly influenced the prognosis of gallbladder carcinoma. The 5-year relative survival rate rose from 2.7% (1976-1985) to 10.2% (1986-1995). The multivariate analysis showed that age and stage at diagnosis were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that gallbladder carcinoma incidence is stable in France and that substantial advances in its management have been achieved, but there is evidence that further improvements are necessary to increase survival.

Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy in the Treatment of Gallbladder Cancer

Gallbladder cancer is generally associated with a poor prognosis, with local recurrence being the main pattern of failure. In an attempt to improve on the present status of management, we evaluated a prospective Phase II study involving preoperative 5-fluorouracil and radiation. Among 27 eligible patients with a potentially resectable gallbladder cancer detected after cholecystectomy, 18 were treated with preoperative radiation (4500 cGy; 180 cGy/fraction, 5 days/week) concurrent with a continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (350 mg/m2/day, days 1–5 and 21–25). Toxicity included leukopenia (8 patients) and thrombocytopenia (7 patients). Delay in surgery due to hematological toxicity was seen in 6 patients. Of the 18 patients, 15 underwent a reoperation. Resection was performed in 13 (86%). Pathologic findings after reoperation revealed residual tumor in both liver and lymph nodes in 3 patients. At a median follow-up of 24 months, 7 patients are alive. Among the patients who died after curative resection, local recurrence was demonstrated in only 1. This is the first report concerning preoperative chemoradiation in gallbladder cancer. To assess its effect on survival, a prospective randomized trial will be necessary.

The role of chemotherapy and radiation in the management of biliary cancer: a review of the literature

Carcinoma of the biliary tract is a rare tumour. To date, there is no therapeutic measure with curative potential apart from surgical intervention. Thus, patients with advanced, i.e. unresectable or metastatic disease, face a dismal prognosis. They present a difficult problem to clinicians as to whether to choose a strictly supportive approach or to expose patients to the side-effects of a potentially ineffective treatment. The objective of this article is to review briefly the clinical trials available in the current literature utilising non-surgical oncological treatment (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) either in patients with advanced, i.e. locally inoperable or metastatic cancer of the biliary tract or as an adjunct to surgery. From 65 studies identified, there seems to be no standard therapy for advanced biliary cancer. Despite anecdotal reports of symptomatic palliation and survival advantages, most studies involved only a small number of patients and were performed in a phase II approach. In addition, the benefit of adjuvant treatment remains largely unproven. No clear trend in favour of radiation therapy could be seen when the studies included a control group. In addition, the only randomised chemotherapeutic series seemed to suggest a benefit of treatment in advanced disease, but due to the small number of patients included, definitive evidence from large, randomised series concerning the benefit of non-surgical oncological intervention as compared with supportive care is still lacking. Patients with advanced biliary tract cancer should be offered the opportunity to participate in clinical trials.

Carcinoma involving the gallbladder in elderly patients presenting with acute cholecystitis

BACKGROUND

The unexpected intraoperative finding of a cancerous gallbladder has become particularly problematic, because cancer recurs rapidly after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. It would be desirable to identify the patients of greatest risk for gallbladder cancer before operation. After several elderly patients presenting with acute cholecystitis were found to have gallbladder cancer, we performed the following study.

METHODS

Records of patients (60 years of age or older, 1987 to 1995) with an admitting diagnosis of acute cholecystitis and symptoms including right upper quadrant pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and leukocytosis were reviewed.

RESULTS

Eighty patients were included in the study. Carcinoma involving the gallbladder was found in seven patients; six had primary and one had metastatic carcinoma. The 73 patients without cancer underwent cholecystectomy. The differences between the noncancer and cancer patients included age (68 +/- 7 versus 74 +/- 8 years, p < 0.05), total bilirubin (mg/dl, 1.5 +/- 1.5 versus 3.7 +/- 3.4, p < 0.01), alkaline phosphatase (IU/L, 179 +/- 132 versus 369 +/- 226, p < 0.01), and aspartate aminotransferase (IU/L, 77 +/- 93 versus 158 +/- 157, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Additional work-up and open cholecystectomy should be considered in elderly patients presenting with apparent acute cholecystitis, especially when liver functions are abnormal.

Primary carcinoma of the gall-bladder: potential for external radiation therapy

Nineteen patients (14 women, 5 men) received external radiation therapy (ERT) between 1980 and 1988 for gall-bladder carcinoma. Eleven patients had complete resection (cholecystectomy in eight cases), six incomplete gross resection and two only percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD). The modalities of ERT were variable and doses ranged from 30 Gy/10 fractions to 50 Gy/25 fractions. Among 11 patients with complete resection (9/11 with T1 or T2 stages), overall survival was 55% at 48 months and 36% at 60 months, median survival was 48 months and at the time of this report 3/11 patients were alive with no evidence of disease, 54, 65, 76 months after surgery, and eight dead of cancer 8-114 months. Local control was achieved in 66 patients with T1 or T2 stages. All eight patients who had palliative surgery or PTBD died of cancer after 4-20 months with median survival of 6 months. Three complications were noted: one gastric ulcer in the course of ERT (surgical treatment), one duodenal ulcer which occurred 6 months after completion of ERT (medical treatment) and one regressive radiation hepatitis. From this experience it appears that ERT in gall-bladder carcinoma is well tolerated, can obtain local control and prolonged survival after complete resection and good palliation in non-resectable tumors.

Multidisciplinary treatment of biliary tract cancers

Ninety-six patients referred for radiation therapy to Washington University affiliated institutions with tumors of the extrahepatic biliary tree form the basis of this report. Patients were examined with regard to demographic factors, tumor primary site, presenting symptoms, methods of diagnosis, and methods of management. The median survival of all 96 patients in this series was 11 months. There was no significant difference between patients with gallbladder cancer and patients with cancer of the biliary ductal system. There was a statistically significant improvement in survival in those patients undergoing resection as management or as a component of the management of their tumors (P = 0.02). Patients receiving > 4,000 cGy of radiation therapy had an improved survival compared to those patients receiving < or = 4,000 cGy of radiation therapy (P = 0.003). While surgical resection improved survival for those patients undergoing removal of all gross tumor, this effect was noted especially in patients with gallbladder cancer.

Resection combined with intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) for stage IV (TNM) gallbladder carcinoma

From October 1976 to May, 1990, a total of 86 patients with stage IV (TNM) gallbladder cancer were treated at Tsukuba University Hospital. Twenty-seven of the 86 patients underwent tumor resection; 43 patients received palliative surgery. The remaining 16 were too advanced to have surgery. Of 27 patients who had tumor resection, 9 had resection alone, 17 had intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) +/- postoperative external radiotherapy (ERT), and 1 had postoperative ERT. The procedures used were: extended right hepatic lobectomy plus hepaticobiliary resection (HBR) (n = 2), hepatic segmentectomy (SIVb, SV) plus HBR (n = 9), hepatic segmentectomy (SIV, V, VI) with HBR (n = 1), hepatic segmentectomy (SIV, V) plus HBR with pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) (n = 3), PD plus HBR (n = 1), cholecystectomy with wedge resection of the gallbladder fossa plus HBR (n = 3), and cholecystectomy plus HBR (n = 3), and cholecystectomy (n = 4). Regional lymph node dissections were performed in every patient and 17 of 27 patients underwent additional resections of adjacent organs such as the stomach, duodenum, colon, and abdominal wall. A single dose of 20-30 Gy was delivered intraoperatively for 17 patients. A mean total dose of 36.4 Gy (1.8/fraction) was added to IORT for 10 patients. The three-year cumulative survival rate was 10.1% for resection plus IORT but 0% for resection alone. The longest survivor is alive and well at 3 years and 3 patients are alive 16, 13, and 4 months after tumor resection followed by IORT plus ERT.

Radical operations for carcinoma of the gallbladder: present status in Japan

Based on the histological findings of 1,686 resected cases of gallbladder carcinoma and operative results collected from 172 major hospitals in Japan, the present status of radical operation was assessed with respect to the relationship between the depth of carcinoma invasion and the operative results. The depth of carcinoma invasion was classified into 5 groups, i.e., limited to the mucosal layer (m) in 11.9%, advanced to the proper muscle layer (pm) in 9.8%, extending to the subserosal layer (ss) in 29.6%, serosal involvement (se) in 21.8%, and carcinoma invading the adjacent organs (si) in 26.9%. Tumor extension, such as lymph node metastasis, invasion of lymphatic and venous vessels, and perineural infiltration, were observed more frequently in patients with ss, se, and si than in those with m and pm. The cumulative 5-year survival rates were 82.6% and 72.5% in patients with m and pm, which were significantly higher than 37.0%, 14.7%, and 7.5% in those with ss, se, and si, respectively. The choice of operative procedures should depend on the depth of carcinoma invasion. Cholecystectomy alone is done only in patients with tumor limited to the mucosa, and more radical procedures such as extended cholecystectomy should be performed in those with carcinoma invasion beyond the mucosa. Pancreatoduodenectomy is indicated in those with lymph node metastasis posterior to the head of the pancreas and with invasion to the duodenum. When the tumor directly invades the liver, major hepatic resection is recommended.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Carcinoma of the gallbladder

Gallbladder cancer remains difficult to diagnose preoperatively. However, recent work suggests that ultrasound may be effective. Gallbladder cancer remains highly lethal despite aggressive therapy. Extension of the disease beyond the mucosa predicts a poor chance of long-term survival.