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

Adjuvant Chemoradiation in Patients with Lymph Node-Positive Biliary Tract Cancers: Secondary Analysis of a Single-Arm Clinical Trial (SWOG 0809)

BACKGROUND

SWOG 0809 is the only prospective study of adjuvant chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation focusing on margin status in patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC) and gallbladder cancer (GBCA); however, the effects of adjuvant therapy by nodal status have never been reported in this population.

METHODS

Patients with resected EHCC and GBCA, stage pT2-4, node-positive (N+) or margin-positive (R1) who completed four cycles of chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy were included. Cox regression was used to compare overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), local recurrence, and distant metastasis by nodal status. DFS rates were compared with historical data via a one-sample t-test.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine patients [EHCC, n = 46 (66%); GBCA, n = 23 (33%)] were evaluated, with a median age of 61.7 years and an R0 rate of 66.7% and R1 rate of 33.3%. EHCC versus GBCA was more likely to be N+ (73.9% vs. 47.8%, p = 0.03). Nodal status did not significantly impact OS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86-4.54, p = 0.11) or DFS (HR 1.63, 95% CI 0.77-3.44, p = 0.20). Two-year OS was 70.6% for node-negative (N0) disease and 60.9% for N+ disease, while 2-year DFS was 62.5% for N0 tumors and 49.8% for N+ tumors. N+ versus N0 tumors showed higher rates of distant failure (42.2% vs. 25.0%, p = 0.04). The 2-year DFS rate in N+ tumors was significantly higher than in historical controls (49.8% vs. 29.7%, p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Adjuvant therapy is associated with favorable outcome independent of nodal status and may impact local control in N+ patients. These data could serve as a benchmark for future adjuvant trials, including molecular-targeted agents.

Patterns of Failure and the Need for Biliary Intervention in Resected Biliary Tract Cancers After Chemoradiation

BACKGROUND

This study assessed patterns of failure and rates of subsequent biliary intervention among patients with resected biliary tract cancers (BTCs) including gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) and extra- and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (eCCA and iCCA) treated with adjuvant chemoradiation therapy (CRT).

METHODS

In this single-institution retrospective analysis of 80 patients who had GBC (n = 29), eCCA (n = 43), or iCCA (n = 8) treated with curative-intent resection and adjuvant CRT from 2007 to 2017, the median radiation dose was 50.4 Gy (range 36-65 Gy) with concurrent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy. All but two of the patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. The 2-year locoregional failure (LRF), 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS), and 2-year overall survival (OS), and univariate predictors of LRF, RFS, and OS were calculated for the entire cohort and for a subgroup excluding patients with iCCA (n = 72). The predictors of biliary interventions also were assessed.

RESULTS

Of the 80 patients (median follow-up period, 30.5 months; median OS, 33.9 months), 54.4% had American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage 1 or 2 disease, 57.1% were lymph node-positive, and 66.3% underwent margin-negative resection. For the entire cohort, 2-year LRF was 23.8%, 2-year RFS was  43.7%, and 2-year OS was 62.1%.  When patients with iCCA were excluded, the 2-year LRF was 22.6%, the 2-year RFS was 43.9%, and the 2-year OS was 59.2%. In the overall and subgroup univariate analyses, lymph node positivity was associated with greater LRF, whereas resection margin was not. Biliary intervention was required for 12 (63.2%) of the 19 patients with LRF versus 11 (18%) of the 61 patients without LRF (P < 0.001). Of the 12 patients with LRF who required biliary intervention, 4 died of biliary complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The LRF rates remained significant despite adjuvant CRT. Lymph node positivity may be associated with increased risk of LRF. Positive margins were not associated with greater LRF, suggesting that CRT may mitigate LRF risk for this group. An association between LRF and higher rates of subsequent biliary interventions was observed, which may yield significant morbidity. Novel strategies to decrease the rates of LRF should be considered.

A 17 years retrospective study on multiple metal stents for complex malignant hilar biliary strictures: Survival, stents patency and outcomes of re-interventions for occluded metal stents

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic placement of SEMSs for malignant hilar biliary strictures (MHBS) is well-established palliative treatment for inoperable patients. Objectives of this study were evaluation of survival and stents patency after placement of multiple SEMS for palliation of complex MHBS.

METHODS

Retrospective review of patients with MHBS that underwent ERCP with insertion of multiple SEMSs for palliation. Survival-associated factors and stents patency were analyzed by Cox multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Between January 1998 and January 2015, 740 patients with nonoperable MHBS that underwent ERCP were identified and only 18.2% of these received multiple SEMSs. Complications were observed in 7.5% of the patients with no procedure-related mortality. Palliative therapies (chemotherapy, external beam radiotherapy and high dose rate brachytherapy) were done in some patients, and outcomes were evaluated. Overall mean survival of the 134 patients was 323 days. Of these, 59% did not had stents malfunction while 41% patients had episodes of SEMSs malfunction and mean survival after re-interventions was 502.9 days. Survival was not influenced by type of tumor, sex or age.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic multiple SEMSs placement is safe and effective in patients with complex MHBS. Survival is independent from the type and complexity of MHBS while is prolonged in patients undergoing HDR brachytherapy. Prompt recognition of SEMSs malfunction is fundamental for survival.

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.

Image-guided radiation therapy for carcinoma of gallbladder: implication on margin for set-up errors

Purpose

A retrospective study was undertaken to analyse set-up variations in patients being treated with post-operative radiation therapy for carcinoma of gall bladder by image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans and paired kilovoltage beam portals (kVps).

Materials and methods

Three consecutive patients receiving post-operative radiation therapy for carcinoma of gall bladder were studied. A total of 32 imaging studies were performed. The immobilisation system was an all-in-one system along with a thermoplastic mask, with knees either resting on the knee rest or in a vacuum cushion. The CBCT scans and kVps were reviewed in an off-line mode. The surrogate markers used for matching during co-registration were 12th rib, coeliac trunk, vertebral bodies and canal. Individual readings were used to calculate mean shifts (m); the mean of these means (M) was calculated to arrive at the systematic error in each direction and its standard deviation (Σ) was calculated. The margins for set-up error (SM) were then calculated.

Results

There were a total of 32 readings of which 21 were CBCTs and 11 were kVps. The mean shifts in each direction for each patient were 0·06, 0·25 and 0·15 cm in vertical, longitudinal and lateral directions, respectively. The resultant planning target volume margins calculated were 0·24, 0·9 and 0·47 cm in vertical, longitudinal and lateral directions.

Conclusions

IGRT for upper abdominal malignancies using CBCT and kVps is a useful method to keep the margins for set-up error low. The use of surrogates for matching should be relevant to the target volume. Good immobilisation system helps in keeping the margins low.

Adjuvant radiotherapy for gallbladder cancer: A dosimetric comparison of conformal radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy

AIM: To assess the efficacy and toxicity of conformal radiotherapy (CRT) and compare with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in the treatment of gallbladder cancer.

METHODS: Between November 2003 and January 2010, 20 patients with gallbladder cancer were treated with CRT with or without chemotherapy after surgical resection. Preliminary survival data were collected and examined using both Kaplan-Meier and actuarial analysis. Demographic and treatment parameters were collected. All patients were planned to receive 46-56 Gy in 1.8 or 2.0 Gy per fraction. CRT planning was compared with IMRT.

RESULTS: The most common reported acute toxicities requiring medication (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Grade 2) were nausea (10/20 patients) and diarrhea (3/20). There were no treatment-related deaths. Compared with CRT planning, IMRT significantly reduced the volume of right kidney receiving > 20 Gy and the volume of liver receiving > 30 Gy. IMRT has a negligible impact on the volume of left kidney receiving > 20 Gy. The 95% of prescribed dose for a planning tumor volume using either 3D CRT or IMRT planning were 84.0% ± 6.7%, 82.9% ± 6.1%, respectively (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: IMRT achieves similar excellent target coverage as compared with CRT planning, while reducing the mean liver dose and volume above threshold dose. IMRT offers better sparing of the right kidney compared with CRT planning, with a significantly lower mean dose and volume above threshold dose.

[Chemotherapy in gallbladder carcinoma]

Gallbladder cancer is an aggressive tumor. Its incidence varies according to geography. Surgery is the standard treatment for localized stage but there is no standard treatment in metastatic or locally advanced disease. Because of the rarity of bile tract cancer (BTC) and gallblader carcinoma (GBC), most studies have grouped all BTC and GBC together, and there are very few GBC-specific studies. In addition, there is a paucity of randomized controlled studies in this disease with small numbers of patients and inclusion bias. One randomized trial ABC-02 was well conducted and showed a survival benefit in favor of gemcitabine (GEM)+cisplatin (CDDP), which can be regarded as the standard in locally advanced BTC. Adjuvant therapy after surgical resection is not validated. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis of GBC has opened the way for the use of targeted therapies. This new treatment would improve survival and quality of life of our patients.

Risk factors influencing recurrence, patterns of recurrence, and the efficacy of adjuvant therapy after radical resection for gallbladder carcinoma

BACKGROUNDS

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is an aggressive neoplasm, and resection is the only curative modality. Recurrence frequently occurs after the curative resection of advanced GBC. Adjuvant treatment, particularly radiotherapy, is recommended and is used without any evidence of a beneficial effect. The aim of this study was to characterize patterns of recurrence and to identify the factors that influence recurrence and the efficacy of adjuvant therapy after the curative resection of GBC.

METHODS

The records of patients that underwent surgical resection with curative intent for gallbladder carcinoma from October 1994 and August 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Recurrence patterns, times to recurrence, and survival rates were analyzed. Sites of recurrence were identified retrospectively and categorized as locoregional or distant.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty-six patients underwent surgical resection with curative intent for gallbladder adenocarcinoma. The 5-year recurrence rates of stages IA, IB, IIA, and IIB patients were 0%, 24.3%, 44.9%, and 58.3%, retrospectively. Positivity for lymph node metastases was found to have predictive significance for disease-free survival (p = 0.009). Regional lymph node recurrence (27.7%) was observed most frequently. There was no significant disease-free survival rates between the no adjuvant therapy and the adjuvant therapy groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The regional lymph nodes and the liver were found to be the most common sites of recurrence after curative resection. Lymph node metastases were identified as an independent predictor of tumor recurrence by multivariate analysis. Based on the disease-free survivals observed in this study, the authors find it would be difficult to advocate the routine use of adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.

Current management of gallbladder carcinoma

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) represents the most common and aggressive type among the biliary tree cancers (BTCs). Complete surgical resection offers the only chance for cure; however, only 10% of patients with GBC present with early-stage disease and are considered surgical candidates. Among those patients who do undergo "curative" resection, recurrence rates are high. There are no established adjuvant treatments in this setting. Patients with unresectable or metastatic GBC have a poor prognosis. There has been a paucity of randomized phase III data in this field. A recent report demonstrated longer overall survival with gemcitabine in combination with cisplatin than with gemcitabine alone in patients with advanced or metastatic BTCs. Molecularly targeted agents are under development. In this review, we attempt to discuss the current status and key issues involved in the management of GBC.

Gallbladder cancer--a comprehensive review

AIM

Gallbladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer involving the gastrointestinal tract, but it is the most common malignant tumour of the biliary tract worldwide. The percentage of patients diagnosed to have gallbladder cancer after simple cholecystectomy for presumed gallbladder stone disease is 0.5-1.5%. This tumour is traditionally regarded as a highly lethal disease with an overall 5-year survival of less than 5%. The marked improvement in the outcome of patients with gallbladder cancer in the last decade is because of the aggressive radical surgical approach that has been adopted, and improvements in surgical techniques and peri-operative care. This article aims to review the current approach to the management of gallbladder cancer.

METHODS

A Medline, PubMed database search was performed to identify articles published from 1990 to 2007 using the keywords 'carcinoma of gallbladder', 'gallbladder cancer', 'gallbladder neoplasm' and 'cholecystectomy'.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

The overall 5-year survival for patients with gallbladder cancer who underwent Ro curative resection was reported to range from 21% to 69%. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is absolutely contraindicated when gallbladder cancer is known or suspected pre-operatively. Patients with a pre-operative suspicion of gallbladder cancer should undergo open exploration and cholecystectomy after proper pre-operative assessment. For patients whose cancer is an incidental finding on pathological review, a second radical resection is indicated except for Tis and T1a disease. There is still controversy for the optimal management of T1b disease. Although the role of surgery for advanced disease remains controversial, patients with advanced gallbladder cancer can benefit from radical resection, provided a potentially curative Ro resection is possible. There is still no effective adjuvant therapy for gallbladder cancer.

Gallbladder carcinoma

Although it is the most common cancer of the biliary tree, gallbladder carcinoma remains an uncommon disease. As a result, many clinicians rarely encounter it and there is uncertainty regarding proper management. Resection is the most effective and only potentially curative treatment. Early stage tumors are often curable with a proper resection; however, many patients present late in the course of the disease when surgical intervention is no longer effective. While other treatment modalities are used in patients with advanced disease, there is limited data on efficacy. In many cases, the diagnosis is made after a cholecystectomy has been performed and an incidental tumor is identified in the specimen. In such cases, reoperation and definitive resection is appropriate and effective for patients with invasive lesions.

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.

Incidence pattern and survival for gallbladder cancer over three decades--an analysis of 10301 patients

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the trends in the incidence, survival, and treatment patterns of gallbladder cancer over the last decade.

METHODS

Data of patients in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute (SEER 13) with a diagnosis of primary gallbladder cancer from 1973-2002 were examined. The effect of surgery and radiotherapy on survival was examined. Incidence of disease, survival, use of surgery, and radiotherapy for patients diagnosed between 1993 and 2002 (Group B) were compared to the others (Group A).

RESULTS

Median age of the 10301 included patients was 73. 72.4% were female and median survival was 4 months. SEER histologic stage was classified as localized (23.7%), regional (37.4%), and distant (38.9%) patients. Median survival for these stages was 20 months, 5 months, and 2 months, respectively. 81.5% patients underwent surgery and 13.3% radiotherapy. Median survival of patients undergoing surgery was significantly longer (8 versus 2 months, P < 0.0001). Radiotherapy in addition to surgery was associated with prolonged survival for patients with regional and distant stages but not localized stage. Over the 3 decades, the incidence of gallbladder cancer gradually decreased in patients older than 50 years, but increased in younger patients. Significantly fewer Group B patients underwent surgery compared with Group A (74.6% versus 89.9%, P < .001). However, the use of radiotherapy was higher in Group B (14.5% versus 12.4%, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Over the last decade, the incidence of gallbladder cancer has reduced in patients older than 50 years with an increased incidence in younger patients. Survival of patients has also improved over the last decade. The number of patients undergoing surgery has reduced with an increase in the use of radiotherapy.

Magnitude of combination therapy of radical resection and external beam radiotherapy for patients with carcinomas of the extrahepatic bile duct and gallbladder

The present study sought to identify the therapeutic efficacy of adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for carcinomas of the extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) and gallbladder. Twenty-one patients with pathologically verified EHBD carcinoma and 18 patients with gallbladder carcinoma were analyzed retrospectively by Cox regression analysis for predictors of survival. The overall 5-year survival rates after resection were 33% for EHBD carcinoma and 56% for gallbladder carcinoma. The overall 5-year survival rate for EHBD carcinoma was 60% in 8 patients without microscopic residual disease (R0), 15% in 9 patients with microscopic residual tumor (R1), and 0% in 4 patients with macroscopic residual tumor (R2). The overall 5-year survival rate of gallbladder carcinoma patients was also decreased with R status equal to 73%, 40%, and 0% for R0, R1 and R2, respectively. Adjuvant radiotherapy significantly improved the 5-year survival rate in 7 patients with R1 disease of EHBD carcinoma (P = .035), compared with survival in 2 patients who underwent resection alone. However, no significant difference was noted in the 5-year survival rate between the resection plus EBRT group and the resection alone group for gallbladder carcinoma. Multivariate analysis revealed that histopathologic grade (G) was an independent predictor of survival for EHBD carcinoma and that direct invasion of liver parenchyma was a predictor of survival for gallbladder carcinoma. This study suggests that curative resection provides the best survival for patients with EHBD and gallbladder carcinoma, and that radiotherapy may play a beneficial role in controlling local-regional residual EHBD carcinoma tumors. However, new strategies for adjuvant therapy are needed to improve survival in patients with gallbladder carcinoma.

Adjuvant external-beam radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy after resection of primary gallbladder carcinoma: A 23-year experience

PURPOSE

Primary adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder is a rare malignancy. To better define the role of adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy, a retrospective analysis of the outcome of patients undergoing surgery and adjuvant therapy was undertaken.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Twenty-two patients with primary and nonmetastatic gallbladder cancer were treated with radiation therapy after surgical resection. Median radiation dose was 45 Gy. Eighteen patients received concurrent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy. Median follow-up was 1.7 years in all patients and 3.9 years in survivors.

RESULTS

The 5-year actuarial overall survival, disease-free survival, metastases-free survival, and local-regional control of all 22 patients were 37%, 33%, 36%, and 59%, respectively. Median survival for all patients was 1.9 years.

CONCLUSION

Our series suggests that an approach of radical resection followed by external-beam radiation therapy with radiosensitizing 5-FU in patients with locally advanced, nonmetastatic carcinoma of the gallbladder may improve survival. This regimen should be considered in patients with resectable gallbladder carcinoma.

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.

Patterns of initial disease recurrence after resection of gallbladder carcinoma and hilar cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Current approaches to adjuvant treatment after resection of gallbladder carcinoma (GBCA) and hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) are based on an incomplete understanding of the recurrence patterns of these diseases. Through an in-depth analysis of the sites of initial recurrence after resection of GBCA and HCCA, the current study aimed to highlight differences in the biology of these tumors and to provide further insight for adjuvant therapeutic strategies.

METHODS

Patients with either GBCA or HCCA who underwent a potentially curative resection were identified prospectively from a maintained database. Specific sites of initial disease recurrence were identified retrospectively and categorized as locoregional (resection margin, porta hepatis, or retroperitoneal lymph nodes) or distant (peritoneal, extraabdominal, or discontiguous liver metastases). Differences in disease recurrence patterns, time to disease recurrence, and overall and site-specific survival were analyzed.

RESULTS

Between May 1990 and August 2001, 177 patients underwent potentially curative resection, 97 for GBCA and 80 for HCCA. Disease recurrence and follow-up data were available for 156 patients (80 with GBCA and 76 with HCCA). The median time to disease recurrence was shorter for patients with GBCA compared with patients with HCCA (11.5 vs. 20.3 months; P = 0.007). Overall, 52 (68%) patients with HCCA and 53 (66%) patients with GBCA had disease recurrene at a median follow-up of 24 months. Of those who developed disease recurrence, isolated locoregional disease as the first site of failure occurred in 15% of patients with GBCA compared with 59% of patients with HCCA (P < 0.001). By contrast, an initial GBCA recurrence involving a distant site, with or without concomitant locoregional recurrence, occurred in 85% of patients compared with 41% of patients with HCCA (P < 0.001). This pattern of disease recurrence was diagnosis specific and did not change significantly when patients were stratified by several clinicopathologic factors, including disease stage and its component variables. Using multivariate analysis, diagnosis was an independent predictor of the site of disease recurrence. Among patients who experienced disease recurrence, survival was greater among the patients with HCCA compared with patients with GBCA (29 months vs. 20.6 months, respectively; P = 0.037). For both tumors, the site of initial disease recurrence had no apparent impact on survival time.

CONCLUSIONS

After resection, recurrent GBCA is much more likely than recurrent HCCA to involve a distant site. GBCA is also associated with a much shorter time to recurrence and a shorter survival period after recurrence. The results demonstrated significant differences in the clinical behavior of these tumors and suggested that an adjuvant therapeutic strategy targeting locoregional disease, such as radiotherapy, is unlikely to have a significant impact in the overall management of GBCA. Conversely, there is at least some rationale for such an approach in patients with HCCA based on the pattern of initial recurrence.

Gallbladder cancer in northern Jordan

BACKGROUND AND AIM

To highlight the epidemiological, clinical, and pathological features of gallbladder cancer in Jordan as a model for the Middle East. Only scattered reports are available from this region.

METHODS

The histopathological reports and the hospital records for all cholecystectomies performed at Princess Basma Teaching Hospital between 1994-2000 were retrospectively reviewed to identify all patients with gallbladder carcinoma. All the histological slides for the cancer group were reviewed and reclassified by a single pathologist.

RESULTS

Of 4502 cholecystectomies performed, 33 cases (0.73%) of gallbladder carcinoma were found. The mean age was 61.4 years (range 39-80 years). The male : female ratio was 1 : 3.7. Biliary colic and/or acute cholecystitis were the main presentations. Gallstones were present in 88% (29/33) of the patients. The spectrum of histological subtypes was similar to other series. Only three cases were diagnosed preoperatively, making the incidence of incidental gallbladder cancer 0.66% (30/4502). Simple cholecystectomy was performed for 13 patients. The remaining 20 patients underwent cholecystectomy and portal lymphadenectomy with (five cases) or without (15 cases) extrahepatic resection of the bile ducts. The mean follow up was 22 months (SD +/- 18.95 months; range 1-96 months). The 2-year survival rates for stages I, II, III, and IV were 100%, 42.9%, 10.8%, and 0%, respectively (P = 0.0013).

CONCLUSIONS

The importance of a high index of suspicion when dealing with cholelithiasis in elderly patients, particularly with large sized stones, cannot be over-emphasized. Proper gross inspection in the theater should be a routine procedure performed by all surgeons. Routine ultrasound for suspected gallbladder stones should always be performed under the supervision of senior radiologists.

Palliative treatment of unresectable bile duct tumours

PURPOSE

Report on outcome of intraluminal high-dose-rate iridium-192 (HDR-Ir192) brachytherapy with or without external radiotherapy in patients with unresectable bile duct tumours suffering from symptoms of malignant obstructive jaundice.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Fourteen patients (mean age: 63 years) who were unsuitable for surgical resection on preoperative evaluation/laparotomy or inoperable due to poor general condition were referred for palliative radiotherapy. After percutaneous transhepatic drainage, HDR-Ir192 brachytherapy was performed with a single dose of 2.5 Gy. Brachytherapy was given twice a day with at least a 6-h interval for 2 days, 2 or 3 days apart, up to a total dose of 10 Gy. Five patients received small-volume external radiotherapy (RT) (45 - 50.4 Gy/1.8 Gy) additionally.

RESULTS

Palliation with relief of the aggravating symptoms of obstructive jaundice was achieved in all patients. The actuarial 2-year survival rate of all patients was 11.9 % with a median survival of 6.5 months. Patients treated with brachytherapy alone had a median survival of 4.5 months as compared with 6.5 months after combined internal and external irradiation (log rank, P = 0.95).

CONCLUSION

Patients with advanced unresectable bile duct cancer face a dismal prognosis; however, biliary drainage, and intraluminal brachytherapy with or without external RT, seem to be able to improve quality of life in the remaining time span.

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.

Radical surgery for gallbladder cancer: current options

Gallbladder carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract. There are still many controversies regarding the type of curative surgical treatment for each stage of the disease. The staging system used is the TNM classification of the International Union Against Cancer. Different patterns of spread characterize gallbladder cancer but the two main types are direct invasion and lymph node metastases; since only the depth of invasion can be easily recognized by imaging techniques, it becomes the main variable in choosing the appropriate surgical treatment. Most Tis and T1 tumours are incidentally discovered after cholecystectomy for cholelithiasis and no further therapy is requested; for pT1b tumours, relaparotomy with hepatic resection and N1 dissection is associated with a better survival. For T2 tumours, cholecystectomy with hepatic resection and dissection of N1-2 lymph nodes is the standard treatment, with a 5-year survival of 60-80%. The only chance of long-term survival for patients with a T3-T4 tumour is an extended operation combining an hepatic resection with an N1-2 dissection with or without excision of the common bile duct. A subset of patients with peripancreatic positive nodes or invasion of adjacent organs seems to benefit from a synchronous pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Carcinoma of the extrahepatic biliary tract: surgery and radiotherapy for curative and palliative intent

Forty-seven patients were treated for carcinoma of the extrahepatic biliary tract between 1962 and 1993: 17 by surgery alone, 20 by surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, and 10 with radiotherapy alone. Initial operations included gross total resection (17 patients), simple cholecystectomy (6 patients), subtotal resection (11 patients), biopsy (3 patients), and percutaneous decompression (10 patients). External-beam radiotherapy (30-60 Gy) was administered to 30 patients: 10 after gross total resection or simple cholecystectomy, 10 after subtotal resection or surgical biopsy, and 10 after percutaneous decompression. Overall survival was 26% at 3 years and 15% at 5 years. The 5-year survival rate was 15% for 17 patients treated by surgery alone and 14% for 30 patients treated with radiotherapy alone or following surgery. After gross total resection, median survival time was 26.1 months for 9 patients treated by surgery alone vs. 43.4 months for 8 patients who received postoperative radiotherapy. After gross total resection or cholecystectomy, 5-year survival rates were 19% for surgery alone and 35% for surgery and postoperative radiotherapy (P=.07). Median survival for 10 patients treated by radiation therapy alone after percutaneous decompression was 6.4 months. Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy was well tolerated and may improve local-regional control after gross total resection.