Prognostic Impact of Tumor Growth Type on 7th AJCC Staging System for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: a Single-Center Experience of 659 Cases

Surgical interpretation of the WHO subclassification of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a narrative review

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) has been subclassified by its gross morphology into the mass-forming (MF), periductal-infiltrating (PI), and intraductal growth (IG) types and their combinations. This classification correlates well with clinical features; for example, MF-iCCA has less lymph-node metastasis and a better prognosis than PI-iCCA. According to the recently accumulated evidence from histological investigations, the WHO classification endorsed a subclassification scheme in which iCCA cases are classified into small- and large-duct types. Small-duct iCCA is considered to originate from septal or smaller bile ducts and is characterized by less frequent lymph-node metastasis, a favorable prognosis, and an MF appearance. Large-duct iCCA arises around the second branch of the biliary tree and has more aggressive biology and distinct genetic abnormalities. According to the practice guidelines for iCCA from the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, upfront surgery is recommended for iCCA without distant metastasis regardless of the morphological subtype, based on clinical experience. In consideration of the biological heterogeneity of iCCA, the treatment strategy for iCCA needs to be reconsidered based on the WHO subtypes.

The significance of resection margins on R0 results in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary liver cancer after hepatocellular carcinoma with an increasing incidence worldwide. Surgical resection is still the only potential cure, and survival rates are dismal due to disease relapse after resection and/or metastatic disease. Positive resection margins are associated with recurrence, with conflicting studies regarding the benefits of wide resection margins to reduce recurrence rates.

METHODS

126 patients with an R0 resection treated with hepatic surgery for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma at the Surgical Department at the Medical University Centre Essen, Germany were identified in a database and retrospectively analysed. Patients were grouped into three groups according to margin width, <1 mm (very narrow margin width) 1-5 mm (narrow margin width) and >5 mm (wide margin width). Epidemiological as well as perioperative data was analysed, and a univariate analysis as well as Kaplan-Meier plots carried out to investigate recurrence-free and overall survival.

RESULTS

Wider resection margins did not lead to better recurrence-free survival. A wider resection margin >5 mm was not significantly associated with improved overall survival. Positive lymph nodes (HR 2.50, 95% CI 1.11-5.61, p=0.027) and non-anatomic resections (HR 2.06, 95% CI 1.13-3.75, p=0.019) are significantly associated with poorer overall survival. Regarding recurrence-free survival, V2 vascular invasion was the only risk factor statistically significantly associated with poorer recurrence-free survival (HR 8.83, 95% CI 0.85-2.83, p=0.005).

CONCLUSION

Resection margins did not have a significant impact on disease free survival or overall survival following hepatic resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Non-anatomical resections, lymph node and vascular invasion all significantly impacted oncological outcomes.

The value of an MRI-based radiomics model in predicting the survival and prognosis of patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to establish radiomics models based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) multiparameter images to predict the survival and prognosis of patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC).

METHODS

Seventy-eight patients with ECC confirmed by pathology were collected retrospectively. The radiomics model_a/b/c were constructed based on the 1/2/3-year survival of patients with ECC. The best texture features were selected according to postoperative survival time and ECC patient status to calculate the radiomics score (Rad-score). A cutoff value was selected, and patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups.

RESULTS

Model_a, model_b, and model_c were used to predict 1-, 2-, and 3-year postoperative survival rates, respectively. The area under the curve values in the training and test groups were 1.000 and 0.933 for model_a, 0.909 and 0.907 for model_b, 1.000 and 0.975 for model_c, respectively. The survival prediction model based on the Rad-score showed that the postoperative mortality risk differed significantly between risk groups (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The MRI radiomics model could be used to predict the survival and prognosis of patients with ECC.

Artificial intelligence CT radiomics to predict early recurrence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a multicenter study

OBJECTIVES

In this multicenter study, we sought to develop and validate a preoperative model for predicting early recurrence (ER) risk after curative resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) through artificial intelligence (AI)-based CT radiomics approach.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 311 patients (Derivation: 160; Internal and two external validations: 36, 74 and 61) from 8 medical centers who underwent curative resection were collected retrospectively. In derivation cohort, radiomics and clinical-radiomics models for ER prediction were constructed by LightGBM (a machine learning algorithm). A clinical model was also developed for comparison. Model performance was validated in internal and two external cohorts by ROC. In addition, we investigated the interpretability of the LightGBM model.

RESULTS

The combined clinical-radiomics model that included 15 radiomic features and 3 clinical features (CA19-9 > 1000 U/ml, vascular invasion and tumor margin), resulting in the area under the curves (AUCs) of 0.974 (95% CI 0.946-1.000) in the derivation cohort, and 0.871-0.882 (95% CI 0.672-0.962) in the internal and external validation cohorts, respectively, which are higher than the AJCC 8th TNM staging system (AUCs: 0.686-0.717, p all < 0.05). Especially, the sensitivity of this machine learning model could reach 94.6% on average for all the cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

This AI-driven combined radiomics model may provide as a useful tool to preoperatively predict ER and improve therapeutic management of ICC patients.

CircZNF215 promotes tumor growth and metastasis through inactivation of the PTEN/AKT pathway in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence shows that circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of noncoding RNAs, play a crucial role in the development of cancers, including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Nevertheless, their functions and exact mechanisms in iCCA progression and metastasis are still unclear. Ipatasertib is a highly selective inhibitor of AKT that inhibits tumor growth by blocking the PI3K/AKT pathway. In addition, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) can also inhibit the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, but it is not clear whether the cZNF215-PRDX-PTEN axis plays a role in the antitumor activity of ipatasertib.

METHODS

We identified a new circRNA (circZNF215, termed cZNF215) through high-throughput circRNA sequencing (circRNA-seq). In addition, RT‒qPCR, immunoblot assay, RNA pull-down assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, and fluorescence in situ hybridization assay (FISH) were used to investigate the interaction of cZNF215 with peroxiredoxin 1 (PRDX1). Coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays and duolink in situ proximity ligation assays (PLAs) were conducted to analyze the effects of cZNF215 on the interaction between PRDX1 and PTEN. Finally, we tested the potential effects of cZNF215 on the antitumor activity of ipatasertib with in vivo experiments.

RESULTS

We found that cZNF215 expression was obviously upregulated in iCCA tissues with postoperative metastases and was correlated with iCCA metastasis and poor outcome in patients with iCCA. We further revealed that overexpression of cZNF215 promoted iCCA cell growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo, while cZNF215 knockdown had the opposite effect. Mechanistic studies suggested that cZNF215 competitively interacted with PRDX1, which blocked the association between PRDX1 and PTEN, subsequently leading to oxidation-induced inactivation of the PTEN/AKT pathway and finally contributing to iCCA progression and metastasis. Additionally, we also revealed that silencing cZNF215 in iCCA cells had the potential to enhance the antitumor effect of ipatasertib.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates that cZNF215 facilitates iCCA progression and metastasis by regulating the PTEN/AKT pathway and may serve as a novel prognostic predictor in patients with iCCA.

Modification of the AJCC/UICC 8th edition staging system for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: proposal for an alternative staging system from cholangiocarcinoma-prevalent Northeast Thailand

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) arises from bile ducts within the liver. Thailand has the highest incidence of CCA worldwide, with a high mortality rate. Early diagnosis and accurate prognostic stratification can improve overall survival. We aim to modify the AJCC/UICC 8th edition staging system for iCCA by creating the Khon Kaen University (KKU) staging system for more precise patient stratification and prognostic prediction.

METHODS

A total of 298 iCCA patients who underwent hepatectomy were included in this retrospective study at the Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to examine survival rate, hazard ratio, and prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Univariate and multivariate analysis of the cohort showed that growth patterns, histological type, histological grade, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis were independent prognostic factors when compared to the respective reference groups. The 8th AJCC staging system incorporated growth patterns into the KKU staging system. This model modified AJCC stages I, II, and III for better prediction of patient survival.

CONCLUSION

Growth patterns were incorporated to improve the 8th AJCC staging system for prognostication of iCCA patients in Northeast Thailand. We propose the KKU staging system as an alternative model for iCCA staging to augment the accuracy of survival prognostication.

Anatomical Resection Improved the Outcome of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis of a Retrospective Cohort

Background

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common liver malignancy after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with a dismal prognosis and high heterogeneity. The oncological advantages of anatomical resection (AR) and nonanatomical resection (NAR) in HCC have been studied, but surgical strategies for ICC remain controversial with insufficient investigations.

Materials and Methods

From Jan 2013 to Dec 2016, 3880 consecutive patients were retrospectively reviewed from a single center. Patients with ICC undergoing AR or NAR have been enrolled according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed between two groups with a 1 : 1 ratio. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoints included disease-free survival (DFS), intraoperative patterns, postoperative morbidity, mortality, complications and recurrence. A prognostic nomogram was developed by a multivariate Cox proportion hazard model.

Results

After PSM, 99 paired cases were selected from 276 patients enrolled in this study. Patients in the AR group achieved better 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS (70%, 46%, and 34%, respectively) and DFS (61%, 21%, and 10%, respectively) than patients in the NAR group with statistical significance after PSM analysis. The postoperative complications and recurrence patterns were comparable between the two groups. Multivariate analysis identified NAR, tumor size >5 cm, multiple tumors, and poor differentiation as independent risk factors for OS (p < 0.05). Selected patients can benefit most from AR, according to subgroup analysis. A prognostic nomogram based on six independent risk factors for OS and factors with clinical significance was constructed to predict OS in ICC patients.

Conclusion

AR improved the long-term survival of ICC with comparable postoperative complications and similar recurrence patterns. AR is suggested in ICC patients with sufficient remnant liver volume. In addition to surgery strategy, malignant characteristics of tumors are risk factors for ICC prognosis.

Modification of the eighth AJCC/UICC staging system for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: An alternative pathological staging system from cholangiocarcinoma-prevalent Northeast Thailand

Aim

This study aims to improve the classification performance of the eighth American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) by proposing the Khon Kaen University (KKU) staging system developed in cholangiocarcinoma-prevalent Northeast Thailand.

Method

Four hundred eighty-eight patients with pCCA who underwent partial hepatectomy between 2002 and 2017 at the Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, were included. Overall survival (OS) related to clinicopathological features was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method. Logrank test was performed in univariate analysis to compare OS data of clinicopathological features to determine risk factors for poor survival. Significant features were further analyzed by multivariate analysis (Cox regression) to identify prognostic factors which were then employed to modify the eighth AJCC staging system.

Results

Multivariate analysis showed that growth pattern (HR = 4.67–19.72, p &lt; 0.001), moderately and poorly differentiated histological grades (HR = 2.31–4.99, p &lt; 0.05 and 0.001, respectively), lymph node metastasis N1 and N2 (HR = 1.37 and 2.18, p &lt; 0.05 and 0.01, respectively), and distant metastasis (HR = 2.11, p &lt; 0.001) were independent factors when compared to their respective reference groups. There was a clear separation of patients with pCCA into KKU stage: I [OS = 116 months (mo.)], II (OS = 46 mo.), IIIA (OS = 24 mo.), IIIB (11 mo.), IVA (OS = 7 mo.), and IVB (OS = 6 mo.).

Conclusion

The new staging system was based on the incorporation of growth patterns to modify the eighth AJCC staging system. The classification performance demonstrated that the KKU staging system was able to classify and distinctly separate patients with pCCA into those with good and poor outcomes. It was also able to improve the stratification performance and discriminative ability of different stages of pCCA classification better than the eighth AJCC staging system. Hence, the KKU staging system is proposed as an alternative model to augment the accuracy of survival prognostication and treatment performance for patients with pCCA.

Clinicopathological Features and Long-Term Outcomes of Intraductal Papillary Neoplasms of the Bile Duct of the Liver: Single-Institution Experience with 146 Patients

BACKGROUND

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) has a wide range of histopathology and intra- and extrahepatic tumor locations.

METHODS

This retrospective single-center study evaluated the clinicopathological features and long-term outcomes of 146 patients with IPNB of the liver (IPNB-L) who underwent hepatic resection between January 2002 and June 2019.

RESULTS

The 146 patients included 97 (66.4%) men and 49 (33.6%) women, of mean age 64.3 ± 8.0 years. Seventy-two (49.3%) patients were incidentally diagnosed, with no specific symptoms, and 18 (12.3%) were found to have hepatolithiasis. Sixty-one (41.8%) and two (1.4%) patients underwent concurrent bile duct resection and pancreaticoduodenectomy, respectively, and 130 (89.0%) underwent R0 resection. Low-grade and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, and invasive carcinoma were identified in 26 (17.8%), 50 (34.2%), and 70 (47.9%) patients, respectively. Five-year tumor recurrence and patient survival rates were 8.4% and 93.9%, respectively, in patients with high-grade neoplasia; and 41.5% and 72.3%, respectively, in patients with invasive carcinoma. CA19-9 > 37 U/mL and R1 resection were independent risk factors for tumor recurrence and reduced survival in patients with carcinoma. The combination of hypermetabolic fluorodeoxy-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) or elevated CA19-9 showed a sensitivity of 91.8% and a specificity of 61.9% for the prediction of IPNB-L with high-grade neoplasia and carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONS

IPNB-L is a rare type of intrahepatic biliary neoplasm that can range histologically from benign disease to invasive carcinoma. Surgical curability is the most important prognostic factor, thus aggressive resection is highly recommended to achieve R0 resection.

Analysis of Oncological Outcomes After Robotic Liver Resection for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Concerns regarding minimally invasive liver resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) include inadequate resection margins and inferior long-term overall survival (OS) when compared to an "open" approach. Limited data exists to address these issues. We aimed to compare perioperative variables, tumor distance to margin, and long-term outcomes after IHCC resection based on surgical approach (robotic vs open) in our hepatobiliary center to address these concerns.

METHODS

With IRB approval, 34 patients who underwent robotic or open hepatectomy for IHCC were prospectively followed. Patients were stratified by tumor distance to resection margin (≤1 mm, 1.1-9.9 mm, ≥10 mm) for illustrative purposes and by approach (robotic vs open). Where appropriate, regression analysis and cox model of proportional hazards were utilized. Survival was stratified by margin distance and approach utilizing Kaplan-Meier curves. Data are presented as median (mean ± SD).

RESULTS

Patients undergoing robotic vs open hepatectomy had similar demographics. Patients undergoing the robotic approach had significantly lower estimated blood loss (EBL). Tumor distance to margin between the two approaches were similar (P = .428). Median OS between the two approaches was similar in patients of any margin distance.In the subgroup analysis by margin distance, the robotic approach yielded less EBL for patients in the 1.1-9.9 mm and ≥10 mm margin groups, and a shorter ICU length of stay for patients with ≥10 mm margin.

DISCUSSION

Similar margins were attained via either approach, translating into oncological non-inferiority of robotic IHCC resection. Robotic approach for the treatment of IHCC should be considered an alternative to an open approach.

Diagnostic and prognostic impact of fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography in diagnosing intraductal papillary neoplasms of the bile duct of the liver

Purpose

Malignant intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct of the liver (IPNB-L) cannot readily be diagnosed through preoperative CT or MRI, but fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET is a viable alternative. This study evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic impacts of FDG-PET in patients with IPNB-L.

Methods

This was a retrospective single-center study of 101 IPNB-L patients who underwent hepatectomy between 2010 and 2019.

Results

Mean age was 64.4 ± 8.3 years and 76 (75.2%) were male. Anatomical hepatic resection was performed in 99 (98.0%). Concurrent bile duct resection and pancreaticoduodenectomy were performed in 41 (40.6%) and 1 (1.0%), respectively. R0 and R1 resections were performed in 88 (87.1%) and 13 (12.9%), respectively. Low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia and high-grade neoplasia/invasive carcinoma were diagnosed in 19 (18.8%) and 82 (81.2%), respectively. Median FDG-PET maximal standardized uptake values (SUVmax) in low-grade neoplasia and high-grade neoplasia/carcinoma were 3.6 (range, 1.7–7.6) and 5.2 (range, 1.5–18.7) (P = 0.019), respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of SUVmax showed area under the curve of 0.674, with sensitivity of 84.2% and specificity of 47.4% at SUVmax cutoff of 3.0. This cutoff had no significant influence on tumor recurrence (P = 0.832) or patient survival (P = 0.996) in patients with IPNB-L of high-grade neoplasia or invasive carcinoma.

Conclusion

IPNB-L is a rare type of biliary neoplasm and encompasses a histological spectrum ranging from benign disease to invasive carcinoma. An FDG-PET SUVmax cutoff of 3.0 appears to effectively discern high-grade neoplasia/carcinoma from low-grade neoplasia, which will assist with the surgical strategy for these cases.

Preemptive pyloroplasty for iatrogenic vagus nerve injury in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients undergoing extensive left-sided lymph node dissection

Background

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) of the left liver often shows left-sided lymph node (LN) metastasis. If gastric lesser curvature is extensively dissected, it can induce an iatrogenic injury to the extragastric vagus nerve branches that control motility of the pyloric sphincter and lead to gastric stasis. To cope with such LN dissection-associated gastric stasis, we performed pyloroplasty preemptively. The objective of this study was to analyze our 20-year experience of preemptive pyloroplasty performed in 10 patients.

Methods

We investigated clinical sequences of 10 patients with ICC who underwent preemptive pyloroplasty following left hepatectomy and extended left-sided LN dissection. Incidence of gastric stasis and oncological survival outcomes were analyzed.

Results

All 10 patients were classified as stage IIIB due to T1-3N1M0 stage according to the 8th edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system. The overall patient survival rate was 51.9% at 1 year, 25.9% at 2 years, and 0% at 3 years. Seven patients showed uneventful postoperative recovery after surgery. Two patients suffered from gastric stasis, which was successfully managed with supportive care. One patient suffered from overt gastric paresis, which was successfully managed with azithromycin administration for 1 month.

Conclusion

We believe that preemptive pyloroplasty is an effective surgical option to prevent gastric stasis in patients undergoing extensive left-sided LN dissection. Azithromycin appears to be a potent prokinetic agent in gastroparesis.

Current Surgical Management of Peri-Hilar and Intra-Hepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma accounts for approximately 10% of all hepatobiliary tumors and represents 3% of all new-diagnosed malignancies worldwide. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (i-CCA) accounts for 10% of all cases, perihilar (h-CCA) cholangiocarcinoma represents two-thirds of the cases, while distal cholangiocarcinoma accounts for the remaining quarter. Originally described by Klatskin in 1965, h-CCA represents one of the most challenging tumors for hepatobiliary surgeons, mainly because of the anatomical vascular relationships of the biliary confluence at the hepatic hilum. Surgery is the only curative option, with the goal of a radical, margin-negative (R0) tumor resection. Continuous efforts have been made by hepatobiliary surgeons in order to achieve R0 resections, leading to the progressive development of aggressive approaches that include extended hepatectomies, associating liver partition, and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy, pre-operative portal vein embolization, and vascular resections. i-CCA is an aggressive biliary cancer that arises from the biliary epithelium proximal to the second-degree bile ducts. The incidence of i-CCA is dramatically increasing worldwide, and surgical resection is the only potentially curative therapy. An aggressive surgical approach, including extended liver resection and vascular reconstruction, and a greater application of systemic therapy and locoregional treatments could lead to an increase in the resection rate and the overall survival in selected i-CCA patients. Improvements achieved over the last two decades and the encouraging results recently reported have led to liver transplantation now being considered an appropriate indication for CCA patients.

Clinicopathological correlation and post-resection outcomes of hepatic angiomyolipoma

Backgrounds/Aims

Angiomyolipoma is a rare neoplasm of mesenchymal origin derived from perivascular epithelioid cells. Due to rarity, hepatic angiomyolipoma (HAML) has been often misdiagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or other hypervascular liver tumors based on imaging studies. This study investigated the clinicopathological correlation and post-resection outcomes of HAML.

Methods

This retrospective observational study included 40 patients who underwent hepatic resection (HR) for HAML between 2008 and 2018.

Results

Mean age of the patients was 42.6±11.4 years and there were 30 (75.0%) females. Hepatitis B and C virus infection was present in 8 patients (20.0%) and 1 patient (2.5%), respectively. Preoperative diagnoses on imaging studies were HCC in 23 (57.5%) patients, HAML in 14 (35.0%) patients, focal nodular hyperplasia in 2 (5.0%) patients, and hepatic adenoma in 1 (2.5%) patient. Percutaneous liver biopsy was performed in 10 (25.0%) patients and HAML was diagnosed in all patients. Only 3 patients (7.5%) showed a slight elevation in the level of liver tumor markers. Major HR was performed in 10 (25.0%). Laparoscopic HR was performed in 9 (22.5%). The mean tumor size was 4.8±3.9 cm and single tumor was present in 38 (95.0%) patients. Currently, all the patients are alive without tumor recurrence during the follow-up observation period of 75.7±37.3 months.

Conclusions

HAML is a rare form of primary liver tumor and is often misdiagnosed as HCC or other hypervascular tumors. Although HAML is benign in nature, it has malignant potential, thus resection is indicated if the tumor grows or malignancy cannot be excluded.

Analysis of metastasis and survival between extrahepatic and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A large population-based study

To date, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECCA) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) have rarely been compared; therefore, we attempted to learn more about the rates of metastasis and survival in both ICCA and ECCA.Data of patients in the SEER database diagnosed with ICCA or ECCA were extracted to analyse the rate of metastasis and survival. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for metastasis. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to compare survival rates between ECCA and ICCA.Data from a total of 15,751 patients diagnosed with ICCA or ECCA were extracted to analyse the rate of metastasis. Metastasis was more common in ECCA than ICCA (42.62% vs. 31.46%, P < .05), while ICCA in the T1 stage had a lower rate of metastasis (25.35% vs. 30.61%, P < .05). Age, pathology grade, tumour size, lymph node metastasis and T stage were independent risk factors for metastasis in both ECCA and ICCA. There was an inverse correlation between age and metastasis in both ICCA and ECCA. Moreover, PSM demonstrated that patients with ECCA had a better prognosis than patients with ICCA. Patients with ICCA in the T1 stage had better survival than those with ECCA in the T1 stage.Our study was the first to compare the rates of metastasis and survival between ECCA and ICCA. We observed an inverse association between age and metastasis, that patients with ECCA had a better prognosis than patients with ICCA, and that patients with ECCA in the T1 stage had worse survival than patients with ICCA in the T1 stage.

Post-resection prognosis of patients with hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

Purpose

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare borderline vascular tumor. This retrospective, single-center study evaluated the outcomes of hepatic resection (HR) in patients with hepatic EHE.

Methods

Over the 10-year period from 2009 to 2018, 11 patients with hepatic EHE underwent HR, accounting for 0.1% of the 11,979 adults who underwent HR at our center. Diagnosis of hepatic EHE was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining for CD34, CD31, and factor VIII-related antigen.

Results

The 11 patients included 9 females (81.8%) and 2 males (18.2%) with mean age of 43.5 ± 13.6 years. Preoperative imaging resulted in a preliminary diagnosis of suspected liver metastasis or EHE, with 9 patients (81.8%) undergoing liver biopsy. No patient presented with abnormally elevated concentrations of liver tumor markers. The extents of HR were determined by tumor size and location from trisectionectomy to partial hepatectomy. All patients recovered uneventfully from HR. Five patients showed tumor recurrence, with 4 receiving locoregional treatments for recurrent lesions. The 1-, 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 90.9%, 54.5%, and 54.5%, respectively. Currently, all patients remain alive and are doing well. Univariate analysis on tumor recurrence showed that tumor size ≥ 4 cm was significantly associated with tumor recurrence (P = 0.032), but tumor number ≥ 4 was not related to (P = 0.24).

Conclusion

Hepatic EHE is a rare form of primary liver tumor often misdiagnosed as a metastatic tumor. Because of its malignant potential, HR is indicated if possible. HR plus, when necessary, treatment of recurrence yields favorable overall survival rates in patients with hepatic EHE.

Prognostic value of resection margin length after surgical resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The definition and prognostic value of a wide resection margin remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the relevance of resection margin length for survival following intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) resection.

METHODS

Patients scheduled for curative resection for ICC between 2015 and 2018 were identified from an institutional database. Demographic data, pathological margin length, and oncologic outcomes were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

This study included 126 patients, of whom 78% underwent anatomical hepatectomy. The resection margin was <0.5, <1.0, and <1.5 cm in 73 (60%), 92 (73%), and 109 (87%) patients, respectively. A resection margin ≥1.0 cm was associated with favorable overall survival (OS) (HR: 0.403; 95% CI: 0.191-0.854; P = 0.018) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR: 0.436; 95% CI: 0.232-0.817; P = 0.010). In the anatomical hepatectomy group, a resection margin ≥1.0 cm was an independent predictor of superior OS (HR: 0.451; 95% CI: 0.208-0.977; P = 0.043) and RFS (HR: 0.470; 95% CI: 0.242-0.914; P = 0.026).

CONCLUSIONS

A resection margin ≥1.0 cm was associated with significantly improved survival in ICC. Therefore, a clear margin of at least 1.0 cm should be achieved during ICC resection.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: pathogenesis, current staging, and radiological findings

To this date, it is a major oncological challenge to optimally diagnose, stage, and manage intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Imaging can not only diagnose and stage ICC, but it can also guide management. Hence, imaging is indispensable in the management of ICC. In this article, we review the pathology, epidemiology, genetics, clinical presentation, staging, pathology, radiology, and treatment of ICC.

Radiomics using CT images for preoperative prediction of futile resection in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

To investigate and compare radiomics and clinical information for preoperative prediction of futile resection in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

METHODS

A total of 203 ICC patients from two centers were included and randomly allocated with a ratio of 7:3 into the training cohort and the validation cohort. Clinical characteristics and radiomics features were selected using random forest algorithm and logistic models to construct a clinical model and a radiomics model, respectively. A combined logistic model that incorporated the developed radiomics signature and clinical risk factors was then built. The performance of these models was evaluated and compared by plotting the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calculating the area under the curve (AUC).

RESULTS

The radiomics model showed a higher AUC than the clinical model in the validation cohort (AUC: 0.804 (95% CI: 0.697, 0.912) vs. 0.590 (95% CI: 0.415, 0.765), p = 0.043) for predicting futile resection in ICC. The radiomics model reached a sensitivity of 0.846 (95% CI: 0.546, 0.981) and a specificity of 0.771 (95% CI: 0.627, 0.880) in the validation cohort. Moreover, the radiomics model had comparable AUCs with the combined model in training and validation cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

We presented an internally validated radiomics model for the prediction of futile resection in ICC patients. Compared with clinical information, radiomics using CT images had greater potential for predicting futile resection accurately before surgery.

KEY POINTS

• Radiomics model using CT images could predict futile resection in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma preoperatively. • Radiomics model using CT images was superior to clinical information for predicting futile resection accurately before surgery.

Safety and feasibility of laparoscopic versus open liver resection with associated lymphadenectomy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

The safety and feasibility of laparoscopic versus open liver resection (LLR vs. OLR) associated lymphadenectomy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are still controversial. The aim of the present study was to compare short and long-term outcomes. We reviewed data on 43 consecutive patients who underwent curative liver resection with associated lymphadenectomy for ICC. The short-term outcomes including postoperative morbidity and mortality, and the long-term outcomes including overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared. The median survival, 1- and 3-year OS in LLR and OLR groups were 22.5 months, 76.9% and 47.1%, and 12.1 months, 43.1% and 20.0%, respectively. The median survival, 1- and 3-year RFS in LLR and OLR groups were 10.3 months, 27.8% and 0%, and 8.1 months, 24.0% and 4.0%, respectively. The results showed that LLR obviously reduced intraoperative blood loss (median, 375 vs. 500ml, p = 0.016) and postoperative hospital stay (median, 6 vs. 9 days, p = 0.016). Moreover, there was no significant difference in short-term outcomes including postoperative morbidity (including wound infection, bile leakage, liver failure and pneumonia) and mortality within 30 days, and long-term outcomes including OS and RFS between LLR and OLR. (all p > 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that CA19-9 level, TNM stage, and tumor differentiation were independent risk factors for OS and RFS. LLR for ICC is safety and feasibility compared with OLR. The advantage of LLR was to reduce intraoperative blood loss and postoperative hospital stay.

Resection of Mixed Hepatocellular-Cholangiocarcinoma, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Mixed hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (HCC-CC) is a biphenotypic liver cancer thought to have unfavorable tumor biology and a poor prognosis. Surgical outcomes of HCC-CC remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of HCC-CC. We analyzed a series of patients undergoing resection for HCC-CC (n = 47), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; n = 468), and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC; n = 108) at a single Western center between 2001 and 2015. Patients with HCC-CC were matched to patients with HCC and ICC on important clinical factors including tumor characteristics (size, vascular invasion, and differentiation) and underlying cirrhosis. Patients with HCC-CC had rates of viral hepatitis comparable to patients with HCC (78.7% versus 80.0%), and 42.5% had underlying cirrhosis. When matched on tumor size, HCC-CC was more poorly differentiated than HCC (68.3% versus 27.3%; P < 0.001) and ICC (68.3% versus 34.8%; P = 0.01) but had similar postresection survival (5-year survival: HCC-CC 49.7%, HCC 54.8%, ICC 68.7%; P = 0.61) and recurrence (3-year recurrence: HCC-CC 57.9%, HCC 61.5%, and ICC 56%; P = 0.58). Outcomes were similar between HCC-CC and HCC when matched on underlying cirrhosis and tumor size. Cancer type was not predictive of survival or tumor recurrence. Survival after resection of HCC-CC is similar to HCC when matched for tumor size, despite HCC-CC tumors being more poorly differentiated. Exclusion of HCC-CC from management strategies recommended for HCC, including consideration for liver transplantation, may not be warranted.

α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Promotes Cholangiocarcinoma Progression and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Process

BACKGROUND

Cholangiocarcinoma is one of the most deadly malignant tumors characterized by a tendency of local invasiveness and metastasis at the early phase, high recurrence rate, and difficulty in treatment. Alpha7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) is highly expressed in a variety of tumors, including cholangiocarcinoma, and may promote tumor progression, but the mechanisms are largely unknown.

AIMS

Our study is the first to expound upon the role that α7-nAChR plays in cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS

We assessed 50 human cholangiocarcinoma tissue samples and 20 normal biliary samples using immunohistochemical staining to find the correlation between α7-nAChR expression and clinicopathological characteristics. We used human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines QBC939 and RBE and α7-nAChR gene knockdown RBE cell lines generated by shRNA lentivirus transfection to investigate the biological functions of α7-nAChR in proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasiveness in vitro. Further, western blotting was used to detect apoptosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related signaling proteins. Cholangiocarcinoma xenografts in nude mice were used for tumorigenicity assays in vivo.

RESULTS

The expression of α7-nAChR was high in cholangiocarcinoma tissues and was closely related to a shorter survival time in patients. α7-nAChR knockdown decreased cell proliferation ability, increased early apoptosis, and weakened cell migration and invasion. Apoptosis-related proteins and components of the EMT process were altered after α7-nAChR knockdown. Moreover, nude mice xenograft experiments confirmed that α7-nAChR could promote cholangiocarcinoma in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

Overexpression of α7-nAChR induces cholangiocarcinoma progression by blocking apoptosis and promoting the EMT process. As an effective molecular biomarker and prognostic factor, α7-nAChR is a promising therapeutic target in cholangiocarcinoma.

A novel online prognostic tool to predict long-term survival after liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: The "metro-ticket" paradigm

BACKGROUND

The aim of the current study was to develop an online calculator to predict survival after liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) based on the "metro-ticket" paradigm.

METHODS

Between 1990 and 2016, patients who underwent liver resection for ICC were identified in an international multi-institutional database. The final multivariable model of survival was used to develop an online prognostic calculator of survival.

RESULTS

Among 643 patients, actual 5-year overall survival (OS) after resection for ICC was 42.7%. On multivariable analysis, CA19-9 > 200 (hazard ratio (HR), 2.62; 95% CI, 2.01-3.42), sum of the number and largest tumor size >7 (HR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.46-2.42), N1 disease (HR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.98-4.16), R1 resection (HR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.21-2.46), poor/undifferentiated tumor grade (HR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.25-2.44), major vascular invasion (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.03-2.10), and adjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.45-0.89) were significantly associated with survival and were included in the online calculator. The predictive accuracy of the model was good to very good as the C-statistics to predict 5-year OS was 0.696 in the training dataset and 0.672 with bootstrapping resamples (n = 5000) in the test dataset.

CONCLUSION

A novel, online calculator was developed to estimate the 5-year survival probability for patients undergoing resection for ICC. This tool could help provide useful information to guide treatment decision-making and inform conversations about prognosis.

Impact of Anatomical Versus Non-anatomical Liver Resection on Short- and Long-Term Outcomes for Patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of anatomical resection (AR) versus non-anatomical resection (NAR) on the survival outcomes in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data on 702 consecutive patients who underwent either AR (n = 319) or NAR (n = 383) for ICC were reviewed. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) following AR versus NAR was compared using propensity score matching (PSM). Subgroups of patients who benefited from AR versus NAR were examined after being stratified by the 8th TNM staging of ICC.

RESULTS

AR and NAR had similar complication rates (26.6% vs. 25.1%, p = 0.634). AR was associated with better 1-, 3-, and 5-year DFS and OS rates compared with NAR after PSM (58.1%, 35.7% and 28.1% vs. 44.1%, 23.9% and 18.0%; 72.9%, 45.7% and 36.0% vs. 62.0%, 30.8% and 25.3%; both p = 0.002). On multivariate analysis, NAR was associated with worse DFS and OS than AR [hazard ratio (HR) 1.461 and 1.488; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.184-1.804 and 1.189-1.863, respectively]. Stratified analysis demonstrated similar outcomes following AR versus NAR for ICC at stages IA, II with vascular invasion, and III with visceral peritoneum perforation, local extrahepatic invasion and nodal metastasis, while NAR was associated with worse DFS and OS versus AR for stages IB (HR 1.897 and 2.321; 95% CI 1.179-3.052 and 1.376-3.914, respectively) or II ICC without vascular invasion (2.071 and 2.077; 95% CI 1.239-3.462 and 1.205-3.579, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

AR was associated with better survival outcomes compared with NAR in ICC patients with stage IB or II tumors without vascular invasion.

High expression of Oct4 and Nanog predict poor prognosis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients after curative resection

Oct4 and Nanog are reported to promote tumor progression in several cancers, but the effect on intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is unknown. The aim of our present study was to explore the prognostic role of Oct4 and Nanog on patients with ICC. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Oct4 and Nanog in a random cohort of 116 ICC patients, and validated in another independent cohort of 103 patients. Prognostic nomograms were formulated for OS and RFS prediction of ICC patients. Our results showed Oct4 and Nanog highly expressed in ICC tumor tissues and were identified as independent prognostic factors for patients' OS and RFS. Significant positive correlation was found between Oct4 and Nanog expression. Co-expression of Oct4 and Nanog implied the poorest OS and RFS in ICC patients. Our nomograms comprising Oct4 and Nanog achieved better predictive accuracy in training and validation cohorts compared with AJCC 7th edition and LCSGJ stage for OS and RFS prediction. Our study support the high expression of Oct4 and Nanog in ICC implies aggressive tumor behaviors and suggest a poor clinical prognosis, which emerges as valuable biomarkers for identifying patients at high risk after curative resection.

M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition, perineural invasion, and migration/metastasis in cholangiocarcinoma through the AKT pathway

Background

Cholangiocarcinoma is a highly malignant tumor type that is not sensitive to radiotherapy or chemotherapy due to aggressive perineural invasion and metastasis. Unfortunately, the mechanisms underlying these processes and the signaling factors involved are largely unknown. In this study, we analyzed the role of M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (M3-mAChR) in cell migration, perineural invasion, and metastasis during cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods

We assessed 60 human cholangiocarcinoma tissue samples and 30 normal biliary tissues. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect M3-mAChR expression and the relationship between expression and clinical prognosis was evaluated. The biological functions of M3-mAChR in cholangiocarcinoma cell migration, perineural invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) were investigated using the human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines FRH0201 and RBE in conjunction with various techniques, including agonist/antagonist treatment, RNA interference, M3-mAChR overexpression, dorsal root ganglion co-culturing, immunohistochemistry, western blotting, etc.

Results

M3-mAChR were highly expressed in cholangiocarcinoma tissue and expression was closely related to differentiation and lymphatic metastasis, affecting patient survival. Treatment with the M3-mAChR agonist pilocarpine and M3-mAChR overexpression significantly promoted migration and perineural invasion, while the M3-mAChR antagonist atropine blocked these effects. Similarly, M3-mAChR knock-down also weakened cell migration and perineural invasion. The expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog, AKT, E-cadherin, vimentin, and Snail, which are components of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT signaling pathway and EMT, were altered by pilocarpine, and these effects were again blocked by atropine. Notably, AKT knock-down decreased M3-mAChR expression and reversed the downstream effects of this receptor.

Conclusions

M3-mAChR are involved in tumor cell migration, perineural invasion, and EMT during cholangiocarcinoma, and these effects are modulated via the AKT signaling pathway.

Inverse Prognostic Relationships of 18F-FDG PET/CT Metabolic Parameters in Patients with Distal Bile Duct Cancer Undergoing Curative Surgery

Purpose

As there were few previous studies with a small number of subjects, the purpose of this was to evaluate the prognostic significance of ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in patients with distal bile duct cancer undergoing curative surgery.

Methods

The study included 40 patients (M/F = 24:16; age 68.0 ± 8.0 years) who underwent preoperative ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT followed by curative surgical resection. The participant's age, sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance-status score, baseline serum CA 19-9 level, stage, pathologic T and N stages, tumor size, tumor grade, tumor growth pattern, R0 resection, and adjuvant therapy were included as clinicopathological variables for predicting overall survival. The PET variables were maximum standardized uptake value (SUV_max), average SUV (SUV_avg), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) of the tumor. The Kaplan-Meyer method and Cox proportional hazards model were used for the survival analysis.

Results

A total of 15 of 40 patients (37.5%) died during the follow-up period. In univariate analysis, low SUV_max (≤ 2.7, p = 0.0005) and low SUV_avg (≤ 2.6, p = 0.0034) were significant predictors of poor overall survival. In multivariate analyses, only low SUV_max (HR = 6.7016, 95% CI 1.9961-22.4993, p = 0.0047) was an independent prognostic factor associated with poor overall survival.

Conclusion

The SUV_max of the primary tumor measured by ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT was an independent significant prognostic factor for overall survival in patients with distal bile duct cancer. However, different results from a previous study warrant further large sample-sized study.

Patterns of Distribution of Hepatic Nodules (Single, Satellites or Multifocal) in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Prognostic Impact After Surgery

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to compare the clinicopathological features and survival after surgery of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) according to the patterns of distribution of hepatic nodules.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of a multi-institutional series of 259 patients with resected ICC was carried out. Patients were further classified according to the pattern of distribution of hepatic nodules: single tumors (type I), single tumors with satellites in the same liver segment (type II), or multifocal tumors (type III).

RESULTS

Overall, 64.5% of patients had type I, 21.9% had type II, and 13.5% had type III. The 5-year overall survival rate was 49.4, 34.2, and 9.9% for types I, II, and III, respectively (p < 0.001). A multivariate survival analysis identified the following independent prognostic factors: pattern types II and III (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively), size ≥ 50 mm (p = 0.021), lymph node (LN) metastases (p = 0.005), and R1 resections (p = 0.019). We stratified survival for each type of pattern according to the other prognostic factors identified in the multivariate analysis. N0 and R0 patients with type II and III tumors had encouraging long-term results. Conversely, patients with LN metastases and R1 resections had poor prognosis, particularly patients with type III tumors.

CONCLUSION

ICC has distinct patterns of distribution with different prognoses that should be considered when making therapeutic decisions. Patients with type III tumors had a significantly worse prognosis, and the benefits of upfront surgery should be carefully evaluated.

Actual over 10-year survival after liver resection for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Partial hepatectomy is a potentially curative therapy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Unfortunately, the overall surgical prognosis remains dismal and the actual 10-year survival has not been reported. This study aimed to document 10-year actual survival rates, identify the prognostic factors associated with 10-year survival rate, and analyze the characteristics of patients who survived ≥ 10 years. Among 251 patients who underwent curative liver resection for ICC between 2003 and 2006 at the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, 21 patients (8.4%) survived ≥ 10 years. The 5-, 7-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 32.3%, 22.3% and 8.4%, respectively. The 10-year cumulative incidence of ICC-related death and recurrence were 80.9% and 85.7%, respectively. Multivariate analysis based on competing risk survival analysis identified that tumor > 5 cm was independently associated with ICC-related death and recurrence (hazard ratios: 1.369 and 1.445, respectively), in addition to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) >10 U/mL, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) >39 U/mL, multiple nodules, vascular invasion, nodal metastasis and local extrahepatic invasion. Patients who survived ≥ 10 years had a longer time to first recurrence, lower levels of CEA, CA19-9 and alkaline phosphatase, less perioperative blood loss, solitary tumor, smaller tumor size, and absence of nodal metastasis or local extrahepatic invasion. In conclusion, a 10-year survival after liver resection for ICC is possible and can be expected in approximately 8.4% of patients.

Diagnosis and Management of Intrahepatic and Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinomas (CC) are rare tumors which usually present late and are often difficult to diagnose and treat. CCs are categorized as intrahepatic, hilar, or extrahepatic. Epidemiologic studies suggest that the incidence of intrahepatic CCs may be increasing worldwide. In this chapter, we review the risk factors, clinical presentation, and management of cholangiocarcinoma.

Osthole induces apoptosis and suppresses proliferation via the PI3K/Akt pathway in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Osthole is a natural coumarin isolated from Umbelliferae plant monomers. Previous research has indicated that osthole exerts a wide variety of biological effects, acting as anti-seizure, anti-osteoporosis and anti-inflammation. However, the regulatory effect and related molecular mechanism of osthole in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remain unknown. In the present study, the authors found that osthole inhibited ICC cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Osthole also significantly induced mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis by upregulating Bax, cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, and cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase expression, and by downregulating Bcl-2 expression. Moreover, the levels of p-Akt and PI3K were significantly decreased, while total Akt protein levels were unchanged. Following transfection with wild-type-Akt and constitutively active (CA)-Akt plasmids, the effects of osthole were decreased. Osthole was also able to suppress tumor growth in vivo. Together, these data demonstrated that osthole induces mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis via the PI3K/Akt pathway, suggesting that osthole may represent a novel and effective agent for the treatment of ICC.

CUL4A overexpression as an independent adverse prognosticator in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

CUL4A has been known for its oncogenic properties in various human cancers. However, its role in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) has not been explored.

METHODS

We retrospectively investigated 105 iCCA cases from a single medical institution. Tissue microarrays were used for immunohistochemical analysis of CUL4A expression. CUL4A expression vectors were introduced in cell lines. Cell migration and invasion assays were used to compare the mobility potential of iCCA cells under basal conditions and after manipulation. Then we evaluated the effects of CUL4A on the cell growth by proliferation assay, and further checked the susceptibility to cisplatin in iCCA cells with or without CUL4A overexpression.

RESULTS

CUL4A overexpression was detected in 34 cases (32.4%). Patients with CUL4A-overexpressing tumors exhibited shortened disease-free survival (mean, 27.7 versus 90.4 months; P = 0.011). In the multivariate analysis model, CUL4A overexpression was shown to be an independent unfavorable predictor for disease-free survival (P = 0.045). Moreover, stably transfected CUL4A-overexpressing iCCA cell lines displayed an increased mobility potential and enhanced cell growth without impact on susceptibility to cisplatin.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrate that overexpression of CUL4A plays an oncogenic role in iCCA and adversely affects disease-free survival. Thus, it may prove to be a powerful prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target.

Novel Preoperative Nomogram for Prediction of Futile Resection in Patients Undergoing Exploration for Potentially Resectable Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Surgical resection is the treatment of choice for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC). However, discrepancies between preoperative workup and intraoperative findings can occur, resulting in unexpected and unfavorable surgical outcomes. The aim of this study was to develop a feasible preoperative nomogram to predict futile resection of IHCC. A total of 718 patients who underwent curative-intent surgery for IHCC between January 2005 and December 2014 were included. The patients were divided into a training cohort (2005–2010, n = 377) and validation cohort (2011–2014, n = 341). The predictive accuracy and discriminative ability of the nomogram were determined by the concordance index and calibration curves. In multivariate analysis of the training cohort, tumor number, lymph node enlargement, presence of intrahepatic duct stones, and elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (≥2.7) were independently correlated with the risk of futile resection. The predictive nomogram was established based on these factors. The concordance index of the nomogram for the training and the validation cohorts was 0.847 and 0.740, respectively. In this nomogram, the negative predictive value (128 points, probability of futile resection of 36%) in the validation cohort was 93.3%. In conclusion, our novel preoperatively applicable nomogram is a feasible method to predict futile resection of IHCC in curative-intent surgery.

Clinico-pathological correlation of hepatic angiomyolipoma: a series of 23 resection cases

BACKGROUND

Angiomyolipomas are rare neoplasms of mesenchymal origin and are derived from perivascular epithelioid cells. They usually develop in the kidney and rarely in the liver. Due to their rarity, most hepatic angiomyolipomas have been misinterpreted as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or other hypervascular liver tumours on imaging studies. We aimed to assess the clinico-pathological correlation of hepatic angiomyolipoma.

METHODS

We identified 23 patients with hepatic angiomyolipoma through an institutional database search.

RESULTS

Of 5680 cases of primary liver tumours, 23 (0.4%) had angiomyolipomas (mean age, 43.6 ± 12.4 years; 16 female patients). Hepatitis B virus infection was noted in four patients, whereas a liver mass was incidentally detected on routine health screening in 13 patients. The preoperative diagnoses, before liver biopsy, included HCC in 14, angiomyolipoma in six, focal nodular hyperplasia in two and hepatic adenoma in one patient. Eventually, the preoperative diagnoses were changed to HCC in 12 and hepatic angiomyolipoma in 11 patients. The tumour size was 5.3 ± 4.6 cm, and 22 patients had a single tumour. All tumours exhibited positive findings for human melanoma black-45 and smooth muscle actin staining. During a follow-up period of 52.2 ± 23.7 months, none of the patients exhibited tumour recurrence or mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Hepatic angiomyolipoma is a rare form of primary liver tumour and is often misdiagnosed as other hypervascular tumours. Although angiomyolipoma is benign in nature, it also has malignant potential; hence, resection is indicated if the tumour grows or malignancy cannot be excluded. Surgical resection is a definitive curative treatment of hepatic angiomyolipoma.

A significant cancer burden and high mortality of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in Thailand: a nationwide database study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to examine the burden of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in Thailand and identify the prognostic factors for all-causes of death.

METHODS

We conducted a population-based study of ICC patients admitted during 2009-2013 using the Nationwide Hospital Admission Database, the National Health Security Office (NHSO). There was an average of 1,051,146 patients/year with diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases (GI). All patients with a diagnosis of ICC (ICD10- C221) were included from a total of 72,479 admissions from 858 hospitals. The surgical resection procedures such as the radical pancreaticoduodenectomy, subtotal and partial hepatectomy were analyzed. Data for all patients were censored 1 year post-study or death, whichever came first.

RESULTS

A total of 34,325 patients with ICC during a 5-year study period (on average, 6865 patients/year, with the incidence rate of 14.6 per 100,000 population, per year. The ICC patients had a mean age of 63.8+/-11.6 years and 63% were males. The mean length of hospital stay was 6.4+/-7.3 days with a mean+/-SD cost of hospitalization of $595+/-$1160 USD per admission. There were 659 patients (1.9%) underwent surgical resection. The overall survival of ICC patients with surgery was significantly better than those patients without surgery. Hazard ratio of death for patients without surgery was 2.5 (95% CI of 2.3-2.7). Approximately 14% of the ICC patients died during hospitalization. The median overall survival of all patients after the first admission was 53 +/-0.6 days. From the multivariate analysis, factors related to all-causes of death were: patients' age >60 years (OR = 1.2, 95% CI; 1.1-1.3), length of hospital stay of >7 days (OR = 1.1, 95% CI; 1.02-1.2), male (OR = 1.3, 95% CI; 1.2-1.4), living in the northern part of Thailand (OR = 1.5, 95% CI; 1.3-1.8) and presence of complications during admission (OR = 1.3, 95% CI; 1.1-1.5).

CONCLUSION

The disease burden of patients with ICC in Thailand is significant with the incidence rate of 14.6 per 100,000 population, per year during 2009-2013 and showed high mortality rate of 14%.

Local therapy reduces the risk of liver failure and improves survival in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A comprehensive analysis of 362 consecutive patients

BACKGROUND

Treatment methods for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have improved, but their impact on outcome remains unclear. We evaluated the outcomes of patients definitively treated with resection, radiation, and chemotherapy for ICC, stratified by era.

METHODS

Clinico-pathologic characteristics, cause of death, disease-specific survival (DSS), and intrahepatic progression-free survival (IPFS) were compared among patients who underwent resection, radiation, or chemotherapy as definitive treatment strategies for ICC (without distant organ metastasis) between 1997 and 2015. Variables were also analyzed by era (1997-2006 [early] or 2007-2015 [late]) within each group.

RESULTS

Among 362 patients in our cohort, 122 underwent resection (early, 38; late, 84), 85 underwent radiation (early, 17; late, 68), and 148 underwent systemic chemotherapy alone (early, 51; late, 97) as definitive treatment strategies, and 7 patients received best supportive care. In the resection group, the 3-year DSS rate was 58% for the early era and 67% for the late era (P = .036), and the 1-year IPFS was 50% for the early era and 75% for the late era (P = .048). In the radiation group, the 3-year DSS was 12% for the early era and 37% for the late era (P = .048), and the 1-year IPFS was 48% for the early era and 64% for the late era (P = .030). In the chemotherapy group, DSS and IPFS did not differ by era. Patients treated with chemotherapy developed liver failure at the time of death significantly more frequently than patients treated with resection (P < .001) or radiation (P < .001). Multivariable analysis identified local therapy (resection or radiation) as a sole predictor of death without liver failure.

CONCLUSION

Survival outcomes have improved for local therapy-based definitive treatment strategies for ICC, which may be attributable to maintaining control of intrahepatic disease, thereby reducing the occurrence of death due to liver failure. Cancer 2017;123:1354-1362. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

The role of microRNAs in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common primary hepatic malignancy with poor prognosis. Despite improvements in its diagnosis and therapy, the prognosis for ICC patients remains poor. An improved understanding of ICC pathogenesis and consequential identification of novel therapeutic targets would improve the prognosis of ICC patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of highly conserved, endogenous, small non‐coding RNA molecules of 18–23 nucleotides in length, which regulate gene expression through complementary base‐pairing with target messenger RNAs and subsequent gene silencing. Several studies have shown deregulated expression of miRNAs in ICC cell lines and tissues, in which these miRNAs play important roles in ICC apoptosis, cell proliferation, invasion, migration and metastasis. In this review, we illustrate the potential role of miRNA in the pathogenesis of ICC and explore the possibilities of using miRNAs as prognostic and diagnostic markers, as well as therapeutic targets in ICC.

Prognostic impact of hepatitis B virus infection in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) was reported to have a favourable prognosis. We investigated the clinicopathological features of patients with HBV-associated ICC and compared post-resection survival outcomes of ICC patients with and without hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) to assess the prognostic impact of HBV infection.

METHODS

A single-institution cohort of 292 patients who underwent macroscopic curative resection for ICC were divided into HBV (n = 37) and non-HBV (n = 255) groups. Their medical records were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS

In comparison with the clinicopathological features, patient age, proportion of anatomical resection, perineural invasion and lymph node (LN) metastasis were different between the two groups. Antiviral therapy was administered to 15 (40.5%) and 27 (73.0%) patients before and after surgery, respectively. Univariate analyses revealed that risk factors were tumour size >5 cm, anatomical resection, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion and LN metastasis for tumour recurrence and HBV infection, tumour size >5 cm, anatomical resection, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion and LN metastasis for patient survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that independent risk factors were tumour size >5 cm, perineural invasion and LN metastasis for both tumour recurrence and patient survival. HBV infection showed statistically marginal significances only in univariate analysis, thus not being an independent risk factor.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed that ICC patients with HBV infection often showed favourable tumour features probably due to early diagnosis, but their post-resection outcomes were not significantly different from those of patients without HBV infection. Therefore, the same treatment and surveillance policies should be applied regardless of HBV serology.

Implications of CA19-9 elevation for survival, staging, and treatment sequencing in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A national cohort analysis

BACKGROUND

Optimal management of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) and elevated CA19-9 remains undefined. We hypothesized CA19-9 elevation above normal indicates aggressive biology and that inclusion of CA19-9 would improve staging discrimination.

METHODS

The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB-2010-2012) was reviewed for patients with ICCA and reported CA19-9. Patients were stratified by CA19-9 above/below normal reference range. Unadjusted Kaplan-Meier and adjusted Cox-proportional-hazards analysis of overall survival (OS) were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 2,816 patients were included: 938 (33.3%) normal; 1,878 (66.7%) elevated CA19-9 levels. Demographic/pathologic and chemotherapy/radiation were similar between groups, but patients with elevated CA19-9 had more nodal metastases and less likely to undergo resection. Among elevated-CA19-9 patients, stage-specific survival was decreased in all stages. Resected patients with CA19-9 elevation had similar peri-operative outcomes but decreased long-term survival. In adjusted analysis, CA19-9 elevation independently predicted increased mortality with impact similar to node-positivity, positive-margin resection, and non-receipt of chemotherapy. Proposed staging system including CA19-9 improved survival discrimination over AJCC 7th edition.

CONCLUSION

Elevated CA19-9 is an independent risk factor for mortality in ICCA similar in impact to nodal metastases and positive resection margins. Inclusion of CA19-9 in a proposed staging system increases discrimination. Multi-disciplinary therapy should be considered in patients with ICCA and CA19-9 elevation. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:475-482. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Clinicopathological Features and Long-Term Outcomes of Intraductal Papillary Neoplasms of the Intrahepatic Bile Duct

We intended to investigate the clinicopathological features of intrahepatic intraductal papillary neoplasms of the bile duct (IPNB), especially their malignant features and post-resection prognosis. Forty-three patients who met the definition of IPNB and who underwent liver resection between January 2002 and June 2015 were selected from our institutional database of liver resection cases. The mean age was 63.3 ± 6.9 years and 24 were male. Hepatolithiasis was present in addition in 10 of the patients. Left- and right-sided hepatectomies and concurrent bile duct resection (BDR) were performed in 28, 15, and 10 patients, respectively; R0 resection was performed in 37 patients. The mean tumor diameter was 4.1 ± 2.2 cm. Histological tumor grade was low in 4 cases, intermediate in 6, and malignant in 33. There was no cancer-related recurrence or death in the 10 patients with low-grade or intermediate lesions. In the 33 patients with malignant lesions, rates of tumor recurrence and overall survival were 12.5 and 96.2 % at 1 year, 36.4 and 91.3 % at 3 years, and 47.0 and 68.8 % at 5 years, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that R1 resection was the only prognostic factor for tumor recurrence and patient survival. BDR was performed in only 2 of 6 patients undergoing R1 resection. Intrahepatic IPNB is a rare type of biliary neoplasm that encompasses a histological spectrum ranging from benign disease to invasive malignancy. Long-term survival was anticipated after curative resection. R1 resection reduced survival outcomes; therefore, we suggest that concurrent BDR should be performed if the resection margin of the bile duct is not reliably free of neoplastic involvement.

Changes in the types of liver diseases requiring hepatic resection: a single-institution experience of 9016 cases over a 10-year period

Backgrounds/Aims

To understand the changing demands for hepatic resection (HR), we collected data regarding HR performed in a tertiary centre over a period of 10 years.

Methods

We carried out extensive search of institutional databases to identify HR cases performed between January 2005 and December 2014. A study cohort of 9,016 patients were divided into 5 disease categories, namely hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), intrahepatic duct stone disease (IHDS), colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM), and uncommon/rare diseases (URD).

Results

There were 5,661 (62.8%) HCC cases, followed by 1441 (16.0%) CRLM, 942 (10.5%) ICC, 638 (7.1%) IHDS and 334 (3.7%) URD. The number of annual HR cases gradually increased from 443 in 2005 to 1,260 in 2015. Annual HCC cases also gradually increased, but the annual proportion of HCC cases fluctuated narrowly between 58.3% and 70.2%. Annual CRLM cases increased rapidly, and their proportion increased progressively from 4.7% to 20.5%. Annual ICC cases increased slowly, and their annual proportion fluctuated between 7.2% and 15.6%. Annual IHDS cases decreased slowly, and their annual proportion decreased progressively from 17.2% to 3.4%, while annual URD cases fluctuated, with annual proportions varying between 2.3% and 5.6%.

Conclusions

Annual cases of HR increased over the last 10 years in a tertiary center probably due to a center-specific centralization effect. The number of CRLM cases increased rapidly; those of HCC and ICC increased gradually, and those of IHDS declined gradually. We believe that these results reflect real changes in the types of liver disease requiring HR.

Benefit of pyloroplasty to prevent gastric stasis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients undergoing extensive left-sided lymph node dissection

Backgrounds/Aims

Intrahepatic cholangiocacinoma (IHCC) can result in spread of tumor cells to the lymph nodes (LNs) around the gastric lesser curvature. Extensive dissection of the gastric lesser curvature can induce injury to the extragastric vagus nerve branches that control motility of the pyloric sphincter and result in intractable gastric stasis. Herein, we presented our experience of preventive pyloroplasty added to resection of IHCC to address dissection-induced gastric stasis in 6 patients during 15-years.

Methods

We analyzed the survival outcomes of 54 IHCC patients presenting left-sided LN metastasis. Nine study patients who underwent extended left-sided LN dissection including lesser curvature LN dissection were selected and divided into 2 groups according to performance of preventive pyloroplasty and the incidence of gastric stasis was analyzed.

Results

All 54 patients were classified as stage IV due to T1-3N1M0 stage. The tumor recurrence rate were 56.4% at 1 year, 84.3% at 3 years and 84.3% at 5 years; and the overall patient survival rate were 51.9% at 1 year, 13.6% at 3 years and 6.8% at 5 years. In all 3 study patients who did not receive pyloroplasty, overt postoperative gastric stasis persisted for >10 days leading to prolonged hospital stay. In contrast, none of the 6 study patients who underwent pyloroplasty suffered from gastric stasis.

Conclusions

Pyloroplasty is a useful surgical option to prevent gastric stasis when extensive left-sided LN dissection is required in IHCC patients with LN metastasis who have very poor post-resection prognosis.

Postresection Outcomes of Combined Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Cholangiocarcinoma, Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) is rare. This study investigated the clinicopathological features of cHCC-CC and compared the postresection survival outcomes of cHCC-CC, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHC).

METHODS

Between January 2000 and September 2012, 53 patients with cHCC-CC underwent tumor resection, accounting for 1.1 % of surgeries for primary liver malignancies. Control groups included patients with HCC (n = 1452) and IHC (n = 149) who underwent R0 resection of stage I/II tumors ≤5 cm.

RESULTS

Mean tumor diameter of cHCC-CC group was 5.5 ± 2.9 cm, and single tumor was identified in 50. Pathological classification included combined (n = 41), mixed (n = 11), and double (n = 1) tumors. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year tumor recurrence rates were 60.8, 71.8, 80.7, and 80.7 %, respectively. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 73.3, 35.6, 30.5, and 11.1 %, respectively. Tumor recurrence and patient survival did not differ significantly according to AJCC tumor staging and histological type (all p ≥ 0.2). Tumor recurrence rates did not differ significantly between the cHCC-CC, HCC, and IHC groups (p = 0.43), whereas differences in survival rates were significant (p = 0.000), with a median survival after tumor recurrence of 8, 51, and 6 months, respectively (p = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with cHCC-CC showed similar recurrence rates to those of control patients with HCC and IHC, whereas their survival outcomes were worse than those of control HCC patients because of poor responses to recurrence treatment. Further evaluation of differences in tumor characteristics and tumor biology is necessary to accurately predict the prognosis of patients with cHCC-CC.