The combination of stricture dilation, endoscopic needle aspiration, and biliary brushings significantly improves diagnostic yield from malignant bile duct strictures

Implementing Massive Parallel Sequencing into Biliary Samples Obtained through Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography for Diagnosing Malignant Bile Duct Strictures

Despite advancements in radiologic, laboratory, and pathological evaluations, differentiating between benign and malignant bile duct strictures remains a diagnostic challenge. Recent developments in massive parallel sequencing (MPS) have introduced new opportunities for early cancer detection and management, but these techniques have not yet been rigorously applied to biliary samples. We prospectively evaluated the Oncomine Comprehensive Assay (OCA) and the Oncomine Pan-Cancer Cell-Free Assay (OPCCFA) using biliary brush cytology and bile fluid obtained via endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography from patients with bile duct strictures. The diagnostic performance of MPS testing was assessed and compared to the pathological findings of biliary brush cytology and primary tissue. Mutations in TP53, BRAF, CTNNB1, SMAD4, and K-/N-RAS identified in biliary brush cytology samples were also detected in the corresponding bile fluid samples from patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. These mutations were also identified in the bile fluid samples, but with variant allele frequencies lower than those in the corresponding biliary brush cytology samples. In control patients diagnosed with gallstones, neither the biliary brush cytology samples nor the bile fluid samples showed any pathogenic mutations classified as tier 1 or 2. Our study represents a prospective investigation into the role of MPS-based molecular testing in evaluating bile duct strictures. MPS-based molecular testing shows promise in identifying actionable genomic alterations, potentially enabling the stratification of patients for targeted chemotherapeutic treatments. Future research should focus on integrating OCA and OPCCFA testing, as well as similar MPS-based assays, into existing surveillance and management protocols for patients with bile duct strictures.

Possibility of Cell Block Specimens from Overnight-Stored Bile for Next-Generation Sequencing of Cholangiocarcinoma

The identification of anticancer therapies using next-generation sequencing (NGS) is necessary for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma. NGS can be easily performed when cell blocks (CB) are obtained from bile stored overnight. We compared NGS results of paired CB and surgically resected specimens (SRS) from the same cholangiocarcinoma cases. Of the prospectively collected 64 bile CBs from 2018 to 2023, NGS was performed for three cases of cholangiocarcinoma that could be compared with the SRS results. The median numbers of DNA and RNA reads were 95,077,806 [CB] vs. 93,161,788 [SRS] and 22,101,328 [CB] vs. 24,806,180 [SRS], respectively. We evaluated 588 genes and found that almost all genetic alterations were attributed to single-nucleotide variants, insertions/deletions, and multi-nucleotide variants. The coverage rate of variants in SRS by those found in CB was 97.9-99.2%, and the coverage rate of SRS genes by CB genes was 99.6-99.7%. The NGS results of CB fully covered the variants and genetic alterations observed in paired SRS samples. As bile CB is easy to prepare in general hospitals, our results suggest the potential use of bile CB as a novel method for NGS-based evaluation of cholangiocarcinoma.

Combining brushing cytology with simultaneous vacuum aspiration in suspicious biliopancreatic malignancies: A multicenter propensity score-matched study (with video)

BACKGROUND

Brush cytology during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a standard approach in diagnosing biliopancreatic strictures, with yet unsatisfying sensitivity.

AIMS

We brought additional simultaneous vacuum aspiration to brushing process and re-evaluate the diagnostic performance.

METHODS

This multi-centered retrospective study was conducted in three tertiary centers. Consecutive patients with biliopancreatic strictures were identified. The patients were divided into two arms: the conventional arm (CA) receiving general brushing approach, and the modified arm (MA) being treated with additional vacuum aspiration when performing bushing. The 1:1 propensity-score matching was implemented to tackle the selective biases.

RESULTS

A total of 555 patients were identified and 200 patient pairs (193 males, 207 females, with a mean age of 68.1 ± 13.1 years.) fell into the ultimate evaluation. A final diagnosis of malignant stricture was established in 243 patients. The diagnostic yield of the MA group was substantially better than that of the CA group, whether "suspicious malignancies" were considered malignancies or not. The rates of sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 46.2%, 100%, 68.0% in the MA group, and 15.3%, 98.7%, and 47.0% in the CA group respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Brushing accompanied by simultaneous vacuum aspiration at ERCP improves the diagnostic yield in suspicious biliopancreatic malignancies.

Bile Microbiome Signatures Associated with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Compared to Benign Disease: A UK Pilot Study

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a very poor survival. The intra-tumoural microbiome can influence pancreatic tumourigenesis and chemoresistance and, therefore, patient survival. The role played by bile microbiota in PDAC is unknown. We aimed to define bile microbiome signatures that can effectively distinguish malignant from benign tumours in patients presenting with obstructive jaundice caused by benign and malignant pancreaticobiliary disease. Prospective bile samples were obtained from 31 patients who underwent either Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiogram (PTC). Variable regions (V3-V4) of the 16S rRNA genes of microorganisms present in the samples were amplified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequenced. The cohort consisted of 12 PDAC, 10 choledocholithiasis, seven gallstone pancreatitis and two primary sclerosing cholangitis patients. Using the 16S rRNA method, we identified a total of 135 genera from 29 individuals (12 PDAC and 17 benign). The bile microbial beta diversity significantly differed between patients with PDAC vs. benign disease (Permanova p = 0.0173). The separation of PDAC from benign samples is clearly seen through unsupervised clustering of Aitchison distance. We found three genera to be of significantly lower abundance among PDAC samples vs. benign, adjusting for false discovery rate (FDR). These were Escherichia (FDR = 0.002) and two unclassified genera, one from Proteobacteria (FDR = 0.002) and one from Enterobacteriaceae (FDR = 0.011). In the same samples, the genus Streptococcus (FDR = 0.033) was found to be of increased abundance in the PDAC group. We show that patients with obstructive jaundice caused by PDAC have an altered microbiome composition in the bile compared to those with benign disease. These bile-based microbes could be developed into potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for PDAC and warrant further investigation.

Advanced endoscopy meets molecular diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma remains an aggressive and deadly malignancy that is often diagnosed late. Intrinsic tumour characteristics and the growth pattern of cancer cells contribute to the challenges of diagnosis and chemoresistance. However, establishing an early and accurate diagnosis, and in some instances identifying targetable changes, has the potential to impact survival. Primary sclerosing cholangitis, a chronic cholangiopathy prodromal to the development of a minority of cholangiocarcinomas, poses a particular diagnostic challenge. We present our diagnostic and theranostic approach to the initial evaluation of cholangiocarcinomas, focusing on extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. This involves a multipronged strategy incorporating advanced imaging, endoscopic methods, multiple approaches to tissue sampling, and molecular markers. We also provide an algorithm for the sequential use of these tools.

High Diagnostic Yield of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Brush Cytology for Indeterminate Strictures

Background

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) brush cytology is used frequently for sampling indeterminate biliary strictures. Studies have demonstrated that the diagnostic yield of brush cytology for malignant strictures is estimated to be 6%-70%. With improved diagnostic tools, sampling techniques and specimen processing, the yield of ERCP brush cytology may be higher. This study aimed to assess the yield of brush cytology and determine factors associated with a positive diagnosis.

Methods

This was a cohort study of patients who underwent ERCP brush cytology from October 2017 to May 2020. Patient demographics, clinical, procedural and pathological data were collected using chart review. Sampling data were captured up to 3 months post-index ERCP to capture repeat brushings, biopsies or surgical resections. Outcomes included the diagnostic yield, true/false positive values and true/false negative values of malignancy detection using ERCP brush cytology.

Results

A total of 126 patients underwent a brush cytology, 58% were male and 79% had a stricture in the extrahepatic region. Ninety-three patients were diagnosed with a malignancy, of which 78 had positive brush cytology results and 15 had a negative brush cytology result. The diagnostic yield, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were 84%, 83%, 97%, 99%, 68% and 87% respectively.

Conclusion

ERCP brush cytology performed using updated sampling technique is associated with high diagnostic yield. This allows for earlier malignancy diagnosis, timely treatment and decreased need for further investigation.

Efficacy of narrow-band imaging during peroral cholangioscopy for predicting malignancy of indeterminate biliary strictures (with videos)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Direct peroral cholangioscopy (POC) can be useful when combined with narrow-band imaging (NBI) to explore the etiologies of indeterminate biliary strictures. We evaluated the efficacy of NBI compared with that of conventional white-light imaging (WLI) during POC diagnosis of indeterminate biliary strictures.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with indeterminate biliary strictures were enrolled from 2016 to 2019. The primary outcome was diagnostic accuracy, and secondary outcomes were technical success, adverse events, and visualization quality when predicting malignancy.

RESULTS

Seventy-one patients underwent direct POC under NBI during targeted biopsy sampling. The strictures were successfully explored and adequate biopsy samples obtained in 67 of 71 patients (94.4%). In terms of visual impression, WLI and NBI afforded 75.0% and 87.5% sensitivity, 82.9 and 91.4% specificity, and 82.8 and 91.3% accuracy, respectively. The areas under the WLI and NBI receiver-operating characteristic curves were .80 and .96 (P = .01). Under NBI, the visualization quality of surface structures, microvessels, and lesional margins was higher than that under conventional WLI (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Direct POC under NBI effectively and accurately predicts malignancies of indeterminate biliary strictures. NBI effectively illuminated surface structures, microvessels, and lesional margins.

Clinical impact of a novel device delivery system in the diagnosis of bile duct lesions: A single-center experience

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Pathological evaluation is essential for the diagnosis of biliary tract diseases. However, existing evaluation methods have various challenges in terms of operability and diagnostic performance. The present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, utility, and safety of a novel device delivery system for bile duct biopsy.

METHODS

This study was conducted as a retrospective, descriptive analysis at a single center. Overall, 25 examinations in 14 consecutive patients who underwent transpapillary biopsies for biliary lesions using the novel device delivery system from July to November 2020 were reviewed. Number and time of biopsy, technical success rate, adequate tissue sampling rate, adverse events, and diagnostic performance of bile duct biopsies using the novel device were evaluated. Moreover, negative surgical margins were assessed in patients who underwent surgical resection after mapping biopsy.

RESULTS

The median number of biopsy samples was five (range: 2-13), with a median biopsy time of 11.6 min. The technical success rate was 100% (140/140), with an adequate sampling rate of 82.9% (116/140). These rates did not differ depending on the biopsy site or purpose. There were no serious adverse events related to the procedures. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of biliary stricture were 90%, 100%, and 92.3%, respectively. Negative surgical margins were confirmed in all patients undergoing surgical resection, including one patient with a surgical procedure changed based on the results of mapping biopsy.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel device delivery system has potentials in diagnosing biliary tract diseases and determining appropriate treatment strategies.

Multidisciplinary Approach to Indeterminate Biliary Strictures

Biliary strictures that remain unclassified after cross-sectional imaging and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-based tissue sampling are defined as indeterminate biliary strictures (IDBS). A substantial proportion of biliary strictures fall into this category due to low sensitivity of brush cytology and intraductal biopsy. Over last few decades, several modalities have emerged for the evaluation of IDBS. Of these, cholangioscopy and endosonography are the frontrunners and have cemented their place for the evaluation of IDBS. Both of these modalities are widely available, and therefore, biliary strictures that remain uncharacterized after their utilization represent IDBS in the current era.

Optimal tissue sampling during ERCP and emerging molecular techniques for the differentiation of benign and malignant biliary strictures

Patients with cholangiocarcinoma have poor survival since the majority of patients are diagnosed at a stage precluding surgical resection, due to locally irresectable tumors and/or metastases. Optimization of diagnostic strategies, with a principal role for tissue diagnosis, is essential to detect cancers at an earlier stage amenable to curative treatment. Current barriers for a tissue diagnosis include both insufficient tissue sampling and a difficult cyto- or histopathological assessment. During endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, optimal brush sampling includes obtaining more than one brush within an individual patient to increase its diagnostic value. Currently, no significant increase of the diagnostic accuracy for the new cytology brush devices aiming to enhance the cellularity of brushings versus standard biliary brush devices has been demonstrated. Peroral cholangioscopy with bile duct biopsies appears to be a valuable tool in the diagnostic work-up of indeterminate biliary strictures, and may overcome current technical difficulties of fluoroscopic-guided biopsies. Over the past years, molecular techniques to detect chromosomal instability, mutations and methylation profiling of tumors have revolutionized, and implementation of these techniques on biliary tissue during diagnostic work-up of biliary strictures may be awaited in the near future. Fluorescence in situ hybridization has already been implemented in routine diagnostic evaluation of biliary strictures in several centers. Next-generation sequencing is promising for standard diagnostic care in biliary strictures, and recent studies have shown adequate detection of prevalent genomic alterations in KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A, SMAD4, PIK3CA, and GNAS on biliary brush material. Detection of DNA methylation of tumor suppressor genes and microRNAs may evolve over the coming years to a valuable diagnostic tool for cholangiocarcinoma. This review summarizes optimal strategies for biliary tissue sampling during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and focuses on the evolving molecular techniques on biliary tissue to improve the differentiation of benign and malignant biliary strictures.

The Diagnosis of Autoimmune Pancreatitis Using Endoscopic Ultrasonography

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is characterized by enlargement of the pancreas and irregular narrowing of the main pancreatic duct. It is often associated with IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-SC), in which the bile duct narrows. Although characteristic irregular narrowing of the pancreatic duct caused by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is noted in AIP, it is difficult to differentiate between localized AIP and pancreatic carcinoma based on imaging of the pancreatic duct. While stenosis of the bile duct in IgG4-SC is characterized by longer-length stenosis than in cholangiocarcinoma, differentiation based on bile duct imaging alone is challenging. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) can characterize hypoechoic enlargement of the pancreas or bile duct wall thickening in AIP and IgG4-SC, and diagnosis using elastography and contrast-enhanced EUS are being evaluated. The utility of EUS-guided fine needle aspiration for the histological diagnosis of AIP has been reported and is expected to improve diagnostic performance for AIP. Findings in the bile duct wall from endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography followed by intraductal ultrasonography are useful in differentiating IgG4-SC from cholangiocarcinoma. Diagnoses based on endoscopic ultrasonography play a central role in the diagnosis of AIP.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography guided interventions in the management of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality with an overall five-year survival of less than 9% in the United States. At presentation, the majority of patients have painless jaundice, pruritis, and malaise, a triad that develops secondary to obstruction, which often occurs late in the course of the disease process. The technical advancements in radiological imaging and endoscopic interventions have played a crucial role in the diagnosis, staging, and management of patients with pancreatic cancer. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-guided diagnosis (with brush cytology, serial pancreatic juice aspiration cytologic examination technique, or biliary biopsy) and therapeutic interventions such as pancreatobiliary decompression, intraductal and relief of gastric outlet obstruction play a pivotal role in the management of advanced pancreatic cancer and are increasingly used due to improved morbidity and complication rates compared to surgical management. In this review, we highlight various ERCP-guided diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for the management of pancreatic cancer.

Transpapillary tissue sampling of biliary strictures: balloon dilatation prior to forceps biopsy improves sensitivity and accuracy

The early and definitive diagnosis of malignant bile duct stenoses is essential for a timely and adequate therapy. However, tissue sampling with transpapillary brush cytology (BC) or forceps biopsy (FB) remains challenging. With this study, we aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of different tissue sampling modalities (BC, FB without/after previous balloon dilatation). Standardized database research identified all patients, who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiography with BC and/or FB for indeterminate bile duct stenosis between January 2010 and April 2018 and with a definitive diagnosis. 218 patients were enrolled (149 cases with malignant and 69 with benign disease). FB had a significant higher sensitivity than BC (43% vs. 16%, p < 0.01). Prior balloon dilatation of the stenosis improved the sensitivity of FB from 41 to 71% (p = 0.03), the NPV from 36 to 81% (p < 0.01) and the accuracy from 55 to 87% (p < 0.01). The complication rates did not differ significantly between the modalities. In our center FB turned out to be the diagnostically more effective procedure. Balloon dilatation of the stenosis before FB had a significant diagnostic benefit and was not associated with a higher complication rate.

Cytomorphologic characteristics of next-generation sequencing-positive bile duct brushing specimens

INTRODUCTION

Cytology of bile duct brushings (BDBs) is a specific, but insensitive, test for malignancy. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of BDBs has recently been shown to improve sensitivity. We analyzed the cytologic features of NGS-positive (NGS⁺) and NGS-negative (NGS^-) BDBs and correlated the morphology with the presence of mutations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 96 BDBs were analyzed for 29 cytologic features by 2 pathologists who were unaware of the original diagnosis and NGS results. Clinicopathologic follow-up was used to determine the patient outcomes (ie, benign, low-grade neoplasm, malignant [carcinoma/high-grade dysplasia]).

RESULTS

We analyzed 74 NGS⁺ BDBs from 66 patients and 22 NGS^- BDBs from 22 patients. During follow-up, 58 of 66 NGS⁺ patients (88%) had malignancy compared with 0% of NGS^- patients (P < 0.001). Fewer than 50% of the malignant cases had been interpreted as malignant on cytology; however, 100% had demonstrated mutations using NGS. Within the NGS⁺ cases, 53% showed late mutations (TP53, SMAD4, and CDKN2A) supportive of a high-risk stricture. Significant morphologic differences were seen in the background appearance, presence of single cells, architectural disarray, nucleomegaly, anisonucleosis, irregular nuclear borders, increased nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio, nuclear hyperchromasia, nucleoli, abnormal groups, clusters, and/or single cells, and overall impression. Naked nuclei, nucleomegaly, anisonucleosis, and coarse chromatin were more common in BDBs with late mutations than in those with KRAS/GNAS (Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog/guanine nucleotide binding protein, α-stimulating complex locus) mutations only. Cytology had a sensitivity of 16% and a specificity of 100% for malignancy. In contrast, NGS had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 73%. Late mutations were 100% specific for malignancy compared with mutations in KRAS/GNAS only, of which 69% were malignant.

CONCLUSIONS

We found significant overlap in the cytomorphologic features between neoplastic and non-neoplastic BDBs, and more than one half of cancer cases had been interpreted as "nonmalignant" on cytology. NGS showing late mutations was 100% specific for malignancy. Adding genetic testing to BDB cytology would be a valuable ancillary test for the detection of malignancy, and reflex testing should be considered.

Approaches and Outcomes to Distal Cholangiocarcinoma

Distal cholangiocarcinoma is a rare malignancy with a dismal prognosis. Because of its location and aggressive nature, patients often present with locally advanced or metastatic disease, and effective treatment options are limited. For patients with resectable disease, surgery is the only chance for cure, but achieving an R0 resection is paramount. Optimal adjuvant therapy in resectable disease remains under investigation. Randomized controlled trials investigating neoadjuvant therapy and its impact on resectability and long-term outcomes are needed to continue to improve the outcomes of patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma.

IgG4-related Sclerosing Cholangitis Mimicking Cholangiocarcinoma Diagnosed by Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Fine-needle Aspiration

A 58-year-old man was referred for obstructive jaundice. Imaging modalities revealed the presence of multiple pancreatic tumors and the stenosis of the middle common bile duct due to a hypoenhanced localized tumor. The multiple pancreatic tumors were histopathologically diagnosed as autoimmune pancreatitis by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA). To differentiate between IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-SC) and cholangiocarcinoma, we diagnosed the biliary tumor as IgG4-SC by EUS-FNA because of insufficient pathological materials obtained in a transpapillary manner. We herein report a case of IgG4-SC diagnosed by EUS-FNA.

Endoscopic Perspective in Cholangiocarcinoma Diagnostic Process

Cholangiocarcinoma is a malignancy arising from the epithelial lining of the intrahepatic or extrahepatic biliary tract. Timely diagnosis is challenging due to its silent clinical course. As reliable laboratory markers are lacking, diagnostic imaging plays a pivotal role. While cross-sectional imaging studies are usually conclusive for intrahepatic lesions, endoscopy plays an essential role in cases of extrahepatic tumors. Rational utilization of different diagnostic methods based on available evidence is needed. This article focuses on the diagnostic role of advanced biliary endoscopy, including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, cholangioscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography, and intraductal sonography.

Ethanol-based fixation is superior to conventional brush cytology in the evaluation of indeterminate biliary strictures by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography

The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic yield of conventional cytology (CC) with ethanol-based fixation, a cytological analysis using an ethanol based fixative system including a cell block procedure (EBF) to evaluate indeterminate biliary strictures (IBStr). We also compared additionally taken fluorescence-guided forceps biopsies (FB) with EBF concerning a potential additive diagnostic benefit.Early detection and accurate diagnosis are crucial for patients with suspected carcinoma within the biliary tree to preserve curative treatment options but diagnostics and patient care in the evaluation of IBStr are still challenging. ERC-guided brush cytology is the gold standard of nonsurgical evaluation of IBStr. However, accuracy is generally low. New specimen processing's are needed to higher the diagnostic yield in the evaluation of IBStr.We performed a retrospective evaluation in 404 patients referred for further diagnosis of IBStr. Gold standard was defined as surgically obtained histology or patient follow-up of at least 1 year to diagnose or exclude malignancy.Three hundred thirty-four patients were included into the final analysis. One hundred seventy-two strictures were malignant, 162 strictures benign. One hundred seventeen specimens were evaluated by CC, 217 processed by EBF. EBF performed significantly better in terms of sensitivity (24.6% vs 60%, P < .001) and accuracy (59.0% vs 75.1%, P = .006). Fifty-eight FB were additionally taken and showed a numerically improved sensitivity compared to EBF alone (80% vs 62.9%, P = .19).EBF is a simple and inexpensive technique that substantially improved sensitivity and accuracy in the evaluation of IBStr. FB specimen did not significantly improve diagnostic yield.

Integrating next-generation sequencing to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-obtained biliary specimens improves the detection and management of patients with malignant bile duct strictures

OBJECTIVE

Despite improvements in imaging, serum CA19-9 and pathological evaluation, differentiating between benign and malignant bile duct strictures remains a diagnostic conundrum. Recent developments in next-generation sequencing (NGS) have opened new opportunities for early detection and management of cancers but, to date, have not been rigorously applied to biliary specimens.

DESIGN

We prospectively evaluated a 28-gene NGS panel (BiliSeq) using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-obtained biliary specimens from patients with bile duct strictures. The diagnostic performance of serum CA19-9, pathological evaluation and BiliSeq was assessed on 252 patients (57 trainings and 195 validations) with 346 biliary specimens.

RESULTS

The sensitivity and specificity of BiliSeq for malignant strictures was 73% and 100%, respectively. In comparison, an elevated serum CA19-9 and pathological evaluation had sensitivities of 76% and 48%, and specificities of 69% and 99%, respectively. The combination of BiliSeq and pathological evaluation increased the sensitivity to 83% and maintained a specificity of 99%. BiliSeq improved the sensitivity of pathological evaluation for malignancy from 35% to 77% for biliary brushings and from 52% to 83% for biliary biopsies. Among patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), BiliSeq had an 83% sensitivity as compared with pathological evaluation with an 8% sensitivity. Therapeutically relevant genomic alterations were identified in 20 (8%) patients. Two patients with ERBB2-amplified cholangiocarcinoma received a trastuzumab-based regimen and had measurable clinicoradiographic response.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of BiliSeq and pathological evaluation of biliary specimens increased the detection of malignant strictures, particularly in patients with PSC. Additionally, BiliSeq identified alterations that may stratify patients for specific anticancer therapies.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography-Based Tissue Sampling in Suspected Malignant Biliary Strictures: A Meta-Analysis of Same-Session Procedures

Background/Aims:

The diagnosis of biliary strictures can be challenging. There are no systematic reviews studying same-session endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-based tissue sampling and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for the diagnosis of biliary strictures.

Methods:

A systematic review was conducted on studies analyzing same-session EUS and ERCP for tissue diagnosis of suspected malignant biliary strictures. The primary outcome was the accuracy of each method individually compared to the two methods combined. The secondary outcome was the accuracy of each method in pancreatic and biliary etiologies. In the meta-analysis, we used Forest plots, summary receiver operating characteristic curves, and estimates of the area under the curve for intention-to-treat analysis.

Results:

Of the 12,132 articles identified, six were included, resulting in a total of 497 patients analyzed. The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and accuracy of the association between the two methods were: 86%, 98%, 12.50, 0.17, and 96.5%, respectively. For the individual analysis, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of EUS-FNA were 76%, 100%, and 94.5%, respectively; for ERCP-based tissue sampling, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 58%, 98%, and 78.1%, respectively. For pancreatic lesions, EUS-FNA was superior to ERCP-based tissue sampling. However, for biliary lesions, both methods had similar sensitivities.

Conclusions:

Same-session EUS-FNA and ERCP-based tissue sampling is superior to either method alone in the diagnosis of suspected malignant biliary strictures. Considering these results, combination sampling should be performed when possible.

The ideal technique for processing SpyBite tissue specimens: a prospective, single-blinded, pilot-study of histology and cytology techniques

Background and study aims  Diagnostic sensitivity for indeterminate biliary lesions remains suboptimal. Cytology techniques may mitigate the impediment of small cholangioscopic specimens. Our primary aim was to compare cell block cytology (CB) with standard histology for foregut SpyBite (SB) specimens. Our secondary aim was to assess CB in biliary SB biopsies. Patients and methods  This was a two-phase prospective pilot study. In phase one, a prospective pilot study, foregut SB specimens from three sites (4 per site per patient per processing technique) were allocated to CB or histology, and assessed by a single, blinded pathologist. The gold standard comprised two standard forceps (CFB) histological specimens per site per patient. Specimen ease of processing, size and number, adequacy for diagnosis and artefact were evaluated. In phase two, CB was used for consecutive patients with indeterminate biliary lesions, and compared with phase one CB results. Results  In phase one, 240 SB foregut biopsies were performed in 10 patients, 227 specimens recorded by pathologist. Specimen origin was identified in 100 % and 97 % of histology and CB batches respectively. Specimens were significantly larger in the histology group (2.02 mm vs 1.49 mm, P  < 0.05). There was a trend to less crush artifact with CB, and no difference in processing difficulty. In phase two, 11 patients (63.0 ±12.7 years, 91 % female) underwent SpyGlass (SG) assessment of suspected indeterminate stricture (n = 8) or mass (n = 3), and six underwent SB. All CB specimens were adequate for diagnosis. Specimen parameters were not significantly different from luminal CB outcomes. Conclusions  In this pilot study, cell block cytology showed similar results as histological analysis of SpyBite specimens in the analysis of biliary stricture.

Cholangiocarcinoma: a site-specific update on the current state of surgical management and multi-modality therapy

Biliary tract cancers (BTC) are rare, heterogeneous malignancies that include cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer (GBC). Cholangiocarcinoma subtypes differ by anatomic location and molecular profile. Currently, resection with lymphadenectomy is the only curative treatment of locally advanced cholangiocarcinoma. Given the high risk of recurrence, multi-modality therapy spanning surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy should be considered. Current data is discordant and there is limited prospective data to support an optimal treatment regimen, though recent studies have demonstrated the utility of adjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiation in specific settings and patient populations. There is a potential role for neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with resectable disease or chemoradiation in select patients with unresectable, locally advanced disease. Randomized clinical trials are necessary to establish the effectiveness of therapies specific to disease sites, especially with the emerging role of immunotherapy and targeted therapy to actionable mutations.

Outcomes of Different Methods for Analysis of Biliary Brush Cytology and of Factors Associated with Positive Diagnosis in an Age-Dependent Retrospective Review

Background and Aims

Brush cytology during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the most frequently used strategy for obtaining a tissue sample from an indeterminate biliary stricture. A recent study reported that age is a factor associated with positive yields, but further analysis of how age influences the results was lacking. We aimed to evaluate clinical effectiveness of biliary cytology and prognostic factors for a positive outcome, especially age.

Methods

This study was a single-center, retrospective, clinical study of 77 consecutive patients who underwent brush cytology during ERCP to obtain a diagnosis of an indeterminate biliary stricture. We compared 2 routine cytology techniques: A (smear); B (centrifugation of the cytological material collected and the cut-off brush + cell block when sufficient amount of material was available). The data were collected aiming to compare the accuracy of the different techniques used and the prognostic factors affecting the outcome, with a particular focus on age. The yield for brush cytology was compared with the gold standard defined as either definitive histology or the long-term clinical course.

Results

The overall accuracy of the 2 used methods was 75.3%. Sensitivity was 52.5%, specificity was 100%, positive predictive value was 100%, and negative predictive value was 66.1%. Although not statistically significant, there was a trend toward accuracy for method B compared with method A (80.4 vs. 65.4%; p = 0.153). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that younger age was the only independent prognostic factor associated with a positive diagnosis (OR 0.95; 95% CI 0.90-0.99; p = 0.039). Receiver operating characteristic curves for age yielded an area under the curve value of 68.2%. On the basis of the Youden index, 69 years was found to be the optimal cutoff for age.

Conclusions

In this series, the accuracy of routine biliary brush cytology was not equal for all methods and ages; in particular, younger patients (below 69 years) tended to have a higher probability of a correct diagnosis.

Dilation of Strictures in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Who, When and How

Stricture formation occurs in up to 40% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Patients are often symptomatic, resulting in significant morbidity, hospitalizations, and loss of productivity. Strictures can be managed endoscopically in addition to traditional surgical management (sphincteroplasty or resection of the affected bowel segments). About 3% to 5% patients with IBD develop primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), which results in stricture formation in the biliary tree, managed for the most part by endoscopic therapies. In this article, we discuss endoscopic management of strictures both in the alimentary tract and biliary tree in patients with IBD and/or PSC.

Monocentric study of bile aspiration associated with biliary brushing performed during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in 239 patients with symptomatic biliary stricture

BACKGROUND

The cytologic diagnosis obtained by brushing or biopsy in malignant biliary strictures is considered to be highly specific but poorly sensitive. The diagnostic association of biliary brushing and bile exfoliate cytology has been suggested but is rarely performed in clinical practice. The objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of bile aspiration associated with biliary brushing during therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

METHODS

From 2004 to 2009, 239 consecutive patients who underwent ERCP were included in the study. The biliary strictures were considered clinically benign in 26% of patients, uncertain in 25%, and malignant in 49%. The 298 cytologic samples collected were divided in 3 groups: bile aspiration alone (26%), biliary brushing alone (20%), and bile aspiration combined with brushing (54%). The definitive diagnosis of malignancy was obtained by biopsy, surgery, and fine-needle aspiration or was determined by an unfavorable disease course.

RESULTS

The cytologic diagnoses were as follows: 149 samples were benign (50%), 114 were malignant (38%), 34 had atypia (12%), and 1 had no diagnostic value. The procedure output values were as follows: for bile aspiration alone, sensitivity was 56.4%, specificity was 93.9%, the positive predictive value (PPV) was 91.7%, and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 64.6%; for brushing alone, sensitivity was 62.5%, both specificity and the PPV were 100%, and the NPV was 73%; and, for bile aspiration and brushing combined, sensitivity was 81%, both specificity and the PPV were 100%, and the NPV was 75%.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients who have symptomatic biliary stricture, bile aspiration during ERCP is a simple and safe procedure. Bile aspiration combined with brushing significantly increases the yield of cytology for malignant biliary tumors (sensitivity, 81%), particularly in cholangiocarcinomas. Cancer Cytopathol 2016;124:330-9. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

Diagnosis of bile duct cancer by bile cytology: usefulness of post-brushing biliary lavage fluid

BACKGROUND

Pathologic evidence of biliary diseases can be obtained from cytology in addition to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP); however, the diagnostic effectiveness is not satisfactory.

STUDY AIM

This retrospective, single-center study evaluated the efficacy of various sampling methods for the cytologic diagnosis of bile duct cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Biliary samples included bile that was simply aspirated, brush smear, brush-rinsed saline, and post-brushing biliary lavage fluid. A set of samples was compared for cytologic efficacy in 76 patients with surgically proven bile duct cancer and in 50 patients with benign biliary stricture.

RESULTS

The cytologic sensitivity for diagnosing biliary cancer was 34 % with aspirated bile, 32 % with brush smear, 43 % with brush-rinsed saline, and 70 % with post-brushing biliary lavage fluid, in contrast to the null false-positive result in the benign cases. The sensitivity of cytology was significantly higher with post-brushing lavage fluid than with the other three sampling methods (P < 0.0001), and post-brushing lavage fluid improved the cumulative sensitivity by 24 % (P = 0.002). The sensitivity of biliary cytology was also associated with the amount of aspirated bile (P = 0.01) and with the aspiration site (P = 0.03). The rate of cancer positivity in a cytology set differed according to the tumor macroscopic type (85 % in the protruding type vs. 40 % in the flat type; P = 0.003), and according to the size of the cancer (87 % for tumors ≥ 50 mm vs. 66 % for tumors < 50 mm; P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Post-brushing biliary lavage fluid cytology provides superior diagnostic efficacy, and its addition to ERCP procedures is recommended for obtaining cytologic evidence of bile duct cancer.

Endoscopic management of benign biliary strictures

Benign biliary strictures are a common indication for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Endoscopic management has evolved over the last 2 decades as the current standard of care. The most common etiologies of strictures encountered are following surgery and those related to chronic pancreatitis. High-quality cross-sectional imaging provides a road map for endoscopic management. Currently, sequential placement of multiple plastic biliary stents represents the preferred approach. There is an increasing role for the treatment of these strictures using covered metal stents, but due to conflicting reports of efficacies as well as cost and complications, this approach should only be entertained following careful consideration. Optimal management of strictures is best achieved using a team approach with the surgeon and interventional radiologist playing an important role.

Safety and feasibility of endoscopic biliary radiofrequency ablation treatment of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Biliary bipolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a new treatment for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) currently under evaluation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety, particularly biliary fistula occurrence, and the feasibility of biliary RFA in a homogeneous group of patients treated using the same RFA protocol.

METHODS

Twelve patients with inoperable or unresectable CCA were included in a bicentric case series study. After removal of biliary plastic stents, a radiofrequency treatment with a new bipolar probe (Habib™ EndoHBP) was applied. The energy was delivered by a RFA generator (VIO 200 D), supplying electrical energy at 350 kHz and 10 W for 90 s. At the end of the procedure, one or more biliary stents were left in place. Adverse events were assessed per-procedure and during follow-up visits.

RESULTS

CCA was confirmed in all patients by histology (66%), locoregional evolution or metastatic evolution. The types of CCA were Bismuth I stage (N = 4), Bismuth II stage (N = 3), Bismuth III stage (N = 2) and Bismuth IV stage (N = 3). No serious adverse events occurred within 30 days following endoscopic treatment: One patient had a sepsis due to bacterial translocation on day 1 and another had an acute cholangitis on day 12 due to early stent migration. No immediate or delayed biliary fistula was reported. The ergonomics of the probe made treatment easy in 100 % of cases. Mean survival was 12.3 months.

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic radiofrequency treatment of inoperable CCA appears without major risks and is feasible. No major adverse events or biliary fistula were identified.

Endoscopic diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma: From endoscopic retrograde cholangiography to bile proteomics

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second most common primary liver cancer. In clinical practice, the diagnosis remains challenging and often requires endoscopic approaches. Endoscopic retrograde and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography are the first-line endoscopic procedures for the evaluation of indeterminate bile duct strictures. Tissue acquisition via brush cytology and forceps biopsies allows the cytological and/or histological confirmation of the disease. Due to the low sensitivity of these techniques, repetitive examinations and/or alternative approaches are required. Cholangioscopy, endoscopic and intraductal ultrasound and confocal laser endomicroscopy are additional methods which can be applied for the diagnosis of CCA. Particularly, new experimental approaches like bile and urine proteomic analyses show promising results which have to be evaluated prospectively for further integration in diagnostic algorithms.

The diagnostic value of brush cytology alone and in combination with tumor markers in pancreaticobiliary strictures

Aim. Differentiation of malignant and benign strictures constitutes a problem despite the increasing experience of the endoscopists, radiologists, and pathologists. The aim of our study is to determine the factors that affect the efficacy of the ERCP guided brush cytology in PBS and to evaluate its diagnostic success when used alone and together with tumor markers. Method. The data from brush cytologies of 301 PBS patients were collected retrospectively and analyzed. The final diagnosis was approved based on the histological examination of the tissue taken surgically or by other methods. In the absence of a histological diagnosis, the final diagnosis was based on radiological studies or the results of a 12-month clinical follow up. Results. A total of 28 patients were excluded from the study. From the remaining 273 patients 299 samples were analyzed. The sensitivity and the specificity of brush cytology in diagnosing malignancy are 62.4% and 97.7, respectively. The sensitivity of brush cytology increased to 94.1% when combined with CA-19.9 and CA-125. Conclusion. Brush cytology is a useful method in diagnosing pancreaticobiliary strictures. Advanced age, stricture dilatation before sampling, the presence of a mass identified by radiological studies, high levels of CA-19.9, ALT, and total bilirubin increase the sensitivity of brush cytology.

Triple modality testing by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Brush cytology has a low sensitivity for the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma. This study aimed to compare the standard approach (brush cytology) with a triple modality approach utilizing brush cytology, forceps biopsy and fluorescence in situ hybridization in terms of sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS

In a retrospective study at a single academic center, 50 patients underwent triple modality testing. Additionally, 61 patients underwent brush cytology alone. Intervention was endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with brush cytology, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and forceps biopsy. The main outcome measures included sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value.

RESULTS

Overall, 50 patients underwent triple tissue sampling, and 61 patients underwent brush cytology alone. Twenty-two patients were eventually diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. Brush cytology had a sensitivity of 42%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100% and negative predictive value of 88%. Triple tissue sampling had an overall sensitivity of 82%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 87%. Within the triple test group, brush cytology had a sensitivity of 27%, forceps biopsy had a sensitivity of 50%, and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis had a sensitivity of 59%.

CONCLUSIONS

A triple modality approach results in a marked increase in sensitivity for the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma compared with single modality testing such as brush cytology and should be considered in the evaluation of indeterminate or suspicious biliary strictures.

Comparative effectiveness of biliary brush cytology and intraductal biopsy for detection of malignant biliary strictures: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Evaluation of indeterminate biliary strictures typically involves collection and analysis of tissue or cells. Brush cytology and intraductal biopsies that are routinely performed during ERCP to assess malignant-appearing biliary strictures are limited by relatively low sensitivity.

OBJECTIVE

To study the comparative effectiveness of brushings for cytology and intraductal biopsies in the etiology of biliary strictures.

DESIGN

Meta-analysis.

SETTING

Referral center.

PATIENTS

PUBMED and Embase databases were reviewed for studies published to April 2014 where diagnostic correlation of histology was available.

INTERVENTION

Database and review of study findings.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Sensitivity and specificity.

RESULTS

The pooled sensitivity and specificity of brushings for the diagnosis of malignant biliary strictures was 45% (95% confidence interval [CI], 40%-50%) and 99% (95% CI, 98%-100%), respectively. The pooled diagnostic odds ratio to detect malignant biliary strictures was 33.43 (95% CI, 14.29-78.24). For intraductal biopsies, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 48.1% (95% CI, 42.8%-53.4%) and 99.2% (95% CI, 97.6%-99.8%), respectively. The pooled diagnostic odds ratio to detect malignant biliary strictures was 43.18 (95% CI, 19.39-95.83). A combination of both modalities only modestly increased the sensitivity (59.4%; 95% CI, 53.7%-64.8%) with a specificity of 100% (95% CI, 98.8%-100.0%). The Begg-Mazumdar and Egger tests indicated a low potential for publication bias.

LIMITATIONS

Inclusion of low-quality studies.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that both brushings and biopsy are comparable and have limited sensitivity for the diagnosis of malignant biliary strictures. A combination of both only modestly increases the sensitivity.

Comparison of brush and basket cytology in differential diagnosis of bile duct stricture at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

BACKGROUND

A previous report has identified a significantly higher sensitivity of cancer detection for dedicated grasping basket than brushing at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of Geenen brush and Dormia basket cytology in the differential diagnosis of bile duct stricture.

METHOD

The current study enrolled one hundred and fourteen patients who underwent ERCP with both Geenen brush and Dormia basket cytology for the differential diagnosis of bile duct stricture at our institution between January 2008 and December 2012.

RESULTS

We adopted sequential performances of cytologic samplings by using initial Geenen brush and subsequent Dormia basket cytology in 59 patients and initial Dormia basket and subsequent Geenen brush cytology in 55 patients. Presampling balloon dilatations and biliary stentings for the stricture were performed in 17 (14.9%) and 107 patients (93.9%), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of Geenen brush cytology for the diagnosis of malignant bile duct stricture were 75.0%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 66.7% and 83.3%, respectively, and those of Dormia basket cytology were 64.5%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 58.5% and 76.3%, respectively (P=0.347 and 0.827 for sensitivity and accuracy, respectively). The good and excellent cellular yields (≥grade 2) were obtained by Geenen brush and Dormia basket cytology in 88 (77.2%) and 79 (69.3%) patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of biliary sampling with a Dormia basket are comparable to those with conventional Geenen brush cytology in the detection of malignant bile duct stricture.

Evaluation of endoscopic transpapillary brushing cytology for the diagnosis of bile duct cancer based on the histopathologic findings

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Diagnosis of the bile duct cancer still needs more accuracy. Studies on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-guided brushing cytology were carried to evaluate the role of the endoscopic transpapillary brushing cytology for the diagnosis of bile duct cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

The study involved 76 consecutive patients who underwent ERCP-guided bile duct cytology for the diagnosis of bile duct cancer from 2008 to August 2012. Three types of cytological specimens were obtained using different sampling methods, i.e., bile aspiration cytology (BAC), brush tip cytology (BTC), and post brushing bile cytology (PBC), to investigate their diagnostic abilities, and comparatively studied with each macroscopic type of the surgically resected specimens.

RESULTS

The cancer-positive rate was 67.1 % (BAC alone: 41.9 %), and the use of BTC and PBC in addition to BAC yielded a statistically significant increase of the cancer-positive rate (p = 0.0031). In 34 resected cases, the cancer-positive rate in relation to the macroscopic type was improved by the addition of BTC and PBC to BAC alone for the papillary (87.5 vs. 40.0 %, p = 0.071) and nodular (100 vs. 70.0 %, p = 0.0603) types, but not for the flat type (62.5 vs. 57.1 %; p = 0.7651).

CONCLUSION

The diagnostic ability of ERCP-guided brushing cytology could be improved by the addition of PBC. However, the cancer-positive rate was the lowest for the flat type of bile duct cancer.

Moulded calculus of common bile duct mimicking a stenosis

Bile duct stenosis, in most cases, appears to be the consequence of pancreatic head, ampulla of Vater and bile duct tumours, cholangitis sclerosans, as well as iatrogenic damages, which may all be diagnosed during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In very rare cases the restriction may result from an atypically shaped wedged stone. This situation creates many diagnostic problems, which in the majority of cases can be solved using imaging studies. However, in some patients even a significant extension of diagnostic procedures may not lead to a correct diagnosis. We present a diagnostically difficult case of a deposit imitating restriction. We present a 70-year-old woman with common bile duct restriction undiagnosed despite several ultrasound examinations (USG), computed tomography (CT), double magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Only after the third ERCP examination a fragmented, by formerly introduced prosthesis, deposit, imitating narrowing, was revealed. Identification of bile duct deposits depends on their composition, localisation and the imaging techniques used. Pigment calculi with atypical shape, bile density, air density or surrounding tissue density are very difficult to diagnose. Thus, the sensitivity of common bile duct stone detection in USG, CT, MRCP and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is 5–88%; 6–88%; 73–97%; and 84–98%, respectively. Moreover, ERCP may not diagnose the character of the restriction even in 5.2% up to 30% of the patients. Consequently, assessment of diagnosis in a number of patients is difficult. A deposit imitating common bile duct (CBD) restriction is a rare, difficult to diagnose phenomenon, which should be taken into account during differential diagnosis of CBD restrictions.

Techniques for cytologic sampling of pancreatic and bile duct lesions: The Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology Guidelines

The Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology has developed a set of guidelines for pancreatobiliary cytology, including indications for endoscopic ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy, techniques of the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, terminology and nomenclature of pancreatobiliary disease, ancillary testing, and postbiopsy management. All documents are based on the expertise of the authors, a review of literature, discussions of the draft document at several national and international meetings over an 18 month period and synthesis of online comments of the draft document on the Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology website [www.papsociety.org]. This document presents the results of these discussions regarding the use of sampling techniques in the cytological diagnosis of biliary and pancreatic lesions. This document summarizes the current state of the art for techniques in acquiring cytology specimens from the biliary tree as well as solid and cystic lesions of the pancreas.

The role of endoscopic ultrasound in biliary obstruction

The role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in the diagnosis of biliary obstruction is well established, and emerging evidence suggests it may also play a therapeutic role. Differentiating between benign and malignant causes of biliary obstruction can be challenging, but EUS is a crucial tool in the armamentarium of the physician. Evolving technologies such as elastography and contrast enhancement may further supplement the diagnostic abilities of EUS. Therapeutic applications of EUS are evolving rapidly, and EUS-guided cholangiography may aid biliary decompression when endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has failed or is not possible.

Endoscopic evaluation of bile duct strictures

Differentiating between malignant and benign bile duct strictures is often challenging. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with brush cytology and/or endobiliary forceps biopsy is routinely performed. Advanced cytologic methods such as fluorescence in situ hybridization or digital image analysis increases the sensitivity of cytology. Endoscopic ultrasonography enables detailed examination of tissues surrounding the bile duct stricture and offers the advantage of fine-needle aspiration. Intraductal ultrasonography enables detailed evaluation of bile duct wall layers, and cholangioscopy offers direct visualization of the bile duct lesions. Novel techniques of probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy and optical coherence tomography have introduced the era of in vivo histology.

The role of peroral video cholangioscopy in patients with IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis

BACKGROUND

The cholangioscopic features of IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-SC) remain undefined. The aim of this study was to clarify these endoscopic features using peroral video cholangioscopy (PVCS) in IgG4-SC patients.

METHODS

PVCS was performed in 33 patients: IgG4-SC (n = 13); primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC; n = 5); and cholangiocarcinoma (n = 15), which included hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA; n = 5) and distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCCA; n = 10).

RESULTS

The most frequent findings on PVCS in the IgG4-SC patients were dilated (62 %) and tortuous (69 %) vessels, and absence of partially enlarged vessels. The incidence of dilated and tortuous vessels was significantly higher in IgG4-SC patients than in PSC patients (p = 0.015). Scarring and pseudodiverticula were found significantly more often in PSC patients than in IgG4-SC patients (p = 0.001 and p = 0.0007, respectively). The incidence of partially enlarged vessels was significantly higher in DCCA patients than in IgG4-SC patients (p = 0.004). In contrast, the incidence of dilated vessels was significantly higher in IgG4-SC patients than in HCCA patients (p = 0.015). PVCS performed after corticosteroid therapy showed resolution of bile duct stenosis and dilated, tortuous, or partially enlarged vessels, as well as resolution of friability in all patients with IgG4-SC.

CONCLUSION

Cholangioscopy was useful in differentiating IgG4-SC from PSC. In addition, monitoring the patterns of proliferative vessels on PVCS may be useful to differentiate IgG4-SC from cholangiocarcinoma.

Long-term survival in hilar cholangiocarcinoma also possible in unresectable patients

BACKGROUND

Radical resection remains the only curative treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA). Only a limited proportion of patients, however, are eligible for resection. The survival and prognostic factors of these patients are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate survival and prognostic factors in unresectable patients presenting with HCCA.

METHODS

We performed a cohort study of the denominator of HCCA patients seen in a tertiary referral center between March 2003 and March 2009. Demographics, treatment, pathology results, and survival were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 217 patients with suspected HCCA were identified. Ninety-five patients (40 %) underwent laparotomy, and in 57 (63 %) of these patients resection was performed. Overall median and 5-year survival of resected patients were 37 months and 43 %, respectively, as compared to 13 months and 7 % in unresectable patients. In unresectable patients, median survival was better in patients with locally advanced disease (16 months) as compared to patients with hepatic and extrahepatic metastases (5 and 3 months, p < 0.001). Of the 160 unresectable patients, 17 (10 %) survived longer than 3 years.

CONCLUSION

Of the patients presenting with HCCA in our center, 26 % proved resectable. The 7 % long-term survival rate of unresectable patients is remarkable and emphasizes the indolent growth of some of these tumors. Patients with metastases had a much worse prognosis with a median of 4 months.