Incidental pT2-T3 gallbladder cancer after a cholecystectomy: outcome of staging at 3 months prior to a radical resection

Does Timing of Completion Radical Cholecystectomy Determine the Survival Outcome in Incidental Carcinoma Gallbladder: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis

Introduction

Incidental discovery of gallbladder cancer (GBC) on postoperative histopathology or intra-operative suspicion is becoming increasingly frequent since laparoscopic cholecystectomy became the standard of care for gallstone disease. Incidental GBC (IGBC) portends a better survival than primarily detected GBC. Various factors affect the outcome of re-resection with the timing of re-intervention an important determinant of survival.

Methods

All patients of IGBC who underwent curative resection from January 2009 to December 2018 were considered for analysis. Details of demographic profile, index surgery, and operative findings on re-resection, histopathology and follow-up were retrieved from the prospectively maintained database. Patients were evaluated in three groups based on the interval between index cholecystectomy and re-resection: Early (<4 weeks), Intermediate (4-12 weeks) and Late (>12 weeks), using appropriate statistical tests.

Results

Ninety-one patients were admitted with IGBC during the study period of which 48 underwent re-resection with curative intent. The median age of presentation was 55 years (31-77 years). The median duration of follow-up was 40.6 months (Range: 1.2-130.6 months). Overall and disease-free survival among the above-mentioned three groups was the best in the early group (104 and 102 months) as compared to the intermediate (84 and 83 months) and late groups (75 and 73 months), though the difference failed to achieve statistical significance (p=0.588 and 0.581). On univariate analysis, factors associated with poor outcome were node metastasis, need for common bile duct (CBD) excision and high-grade tumor. However, on multivariate analysis, poor differentiation was the only independent factor affecting survival.

Conclusion

Early surgery, preferably within four weeks, possibly entails better survival in incidentally detected GBC. The grade of a tumor, however, is the most important determinant of survival in IGBC.

Current management of incidental gallbladder cancer: A review

Early-stage gallbladder cancer (GBC) is mostly discovered incidentally by the pathologist after cholecystectomy for a presumed benign disease. It is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract with a variable incidence rate all over the World. The majority of patients with GBC remain asymptomatic for a long time and diagnosis is usually late when the disease is at an advanced stage. Radical surgery consisting in resection of the gallbladder liver bed and regional lymph nodes seems to be the best treatment option for incidental GBC. However, recurrence rates after salvage surgery are still high and the addition of neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy may improve outcomes. The aim of the present review is to evaluate current literature for advances in management of incidental GBC, with particular focus on staging techniques and surgical options.

Determinants of curative resection in incidental gallbladder carcinoma with special reference to timing of referral

Backgrounds/Aims

Re-resection of incidental gallbladder carcinoma (IGBC) is possible in a select group of patients. However, the optimal timing for re-intervention lacks consensus.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed for a prospective database of 91 patients with IGBC managed from 2009 to 2018. Patients were divided into three groups based on the duration between the index cholecystectomy and re-operation or final staging: Early (E), < 4 weeks; Intermediate (I), > 4 weeks and < 12 weeks; and Late (L), > 12 weeks. Demographic data, tumor characteristics, and operative details of patients were analyzed to determine factors affecting the re-resectability of IGBC.

Results

Twenty-two patients in &lsquo;E&rsquo;, 48 in &lsquo;I&rsquo;, and 21 in &lsquo;L&rsquo; groups were evenly matched. Nearly two thirds were asymptomatic. Curative resection was possible in 48 (52.7%) patients. Metastasis was detected during staging laparoscopy (SL)/laparotomy in 26 (28.6%) patients. The yield of SL was more in the &lsquo;L&rsquo; group (30.8%) than in the &lsquo;I&rsquo; (11.1%) or &lsquo;E&rsquo; (nil) group, avoiding unnecessary laparotomy in 13.6%. Only 28.5% of patients in the &lsquo;L&rsquo; group could undergo curative resection (R0/R1 resection), significantly less than that in the &lsquo;E&rsquo; (50.0%) or &lsquo;I&rsquo; group (64.6%) (both p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, presentation in intermediate period and tumor differentiation increased the chance of curative resection (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Asymptomatic patients in the &lsquo;I&rsquo; group with well differentiated IGBC have the best chance of obtaining a curative resection.

Gallbladder cancer who is really cured?

BACKGROUND

Although gallbladder cancer (GBCA) is characterized by a dismal prognosis, there is a proportion of patients who are cured. The aim of this study was to analyze the profile of these patients.

METHODS

A database was queried for patients who underwent curative resection with a follow-up of at least 5 years. Patients were prospectively treated and registered by the same surgical team. A multivariate regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with long-term survival.

RESULTS

From 1988 to 2013, 461 patients were evaluated and 112 who underwent resection were analyzed. Among the patients, five year survival was 57% while lymph node and liver compromise were the only independent factors associated with survival. On the other hand, the elapsed time between the cholecystectomy and the resection, the differentiation grade and the level of wall invasion did not have an independent effect on the prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Despite its poor prognosis, a subset of patients can be cured of GBCA. R0 resection of patients without lymph and liver infiltration are key to GBCA survival.

Degradable magnesium implants inhibit gallbladder cancer

Gallbladder cancer can be difficult to detect in its early stages and is prone to metastasize, causing bile duct obstruction, which is usually treated by stent implantation in clinic. However, the commonly used biliary stents are non-degradable, which not only prone to secondary blockage, but also need to be removed by secondary surgery. Biodegradable magnesium (Mg) is expected to one of the promising candidates for degradable biliary stents due to its excellent physicochemical property and biocompatibility. In this work, we studied the influence of high-purity Mg wires on gallbladder cancer through in vitro and in vivo experiments and revealed that the degradation products of Mg could significantly inhibit the growth of gallbladder cancer cells and promote their apoptosis. Our findings indicate that Mg biliary stent possesses the function of draining bile and treating gallbladder cancer, suggesting that Mg has good application prospects in biliary surgery. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Current research and development of biomedical magnesium are mainly concentrated in the cardiovascular and orthopedics field. Degradable magnesium bile duct stents have great application prospects in the treatment of bile duct blockage caused by bile duct-related cancers. At present, the effect of magnesium implants on gallbladder cancer is not clear. Our work verified the effectiveness of magnesium wire implants in inhibiting gallbladder cancer through in vivo and in vitro experiments, and studied the effect of magnesium degradation products on gallbladder cancer cells from the perspective of cell proliferation, apoptosis and cycle. This study provided new understanding for the application of magnesium in biliary surgery.

Laparoscopic surgery for oncologic extended resection of T1b and T2 incidental gallbladder carcinoma at a high-volume center: a single-center experience in China

BACKGROUND

Surgical treatment is still the most effective treatment for gallbladder cancer. For the patients with stage T1b and above, the current guidelines recommend the extended radical operation, and oncologic extended resection can benefit the survival of the patients. The laparoscopic approach is still in the early phase, and its safety and oncological outcomes are not well known.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the technical feasibility and oncological outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for oncologic extended resection of early-stage incidental gallbladder carcinoma.

RESULTS

This study included 18 male and 32 female patients. Twenty patients underwent laparoscopic oncologic extended resection and 30 patients underwent open oncologic extended resection. All of the patients had R0 resection. A laparoscopic approach was associated with less intraoperative blood loss (242 ± 108.5 vs 401 ± 130.3; p < 0.01) and shorter duration of postoperative hospital stay (6.2 ± 2.4 vs 8.6 ± 2.3; p < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference between two groups for lymph nodes yield (5.4 ± 3.5 vs 5.8 ± 2.1; p > 0.05), incidence of lymphatic metastasis (15% vs 16.67%; p > 0.05), residual disease (20% vs 23.3%; p > 0.05), and postoperative morbidity (15% vs 20%; p > 0.05). During follow-up time of median 20.95 (12-29.5) months, no significant difference was found between the two groups for early tumor recurrence (10% vs 13.33%; p > 0.05) and disease-free survival (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic surgery may offer similar intraoperative, perioperative, and short-term oncological outcomes as an open oncologic extended resection for incidental gallbladder carcinoma.

Trends in Treatment and Survival of Gallbladder Cancer in the Netherlands; Identifying Gaps and Opportunities from a Nation-Wide Cohort

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is rare in Western populations and data about treatment and outcomes are scarce. This study aims to analyze survival and identify opportunities for improvement using population-based data from a low-incidence country. GBC patients diagnosed between 2005 and 2016 with GBC were identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients were grouped according to time period (2005–2009/2010–2016) and disease stage. Trends in treatment and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. In total 1834 patients were included: 661 (36%) patients with resected, 278 (15%) with non-resected non-metastatic, and 895 (49%) with metastatic GBC. Use of radical versus simple cholecystectomy (12% vs. 26%, p < 0.001) in early (pT1b/T2) GBC increased. More patients with metastatic GBC received chemotherapy (11% vs. 29%, p < 0.001). OS improved from 4.8 months (2005–2009) to 6.1 months (2010–2016) (p = 0.012). Median OS increased over time (2005–2009 vs. 2010–2016) in resected (19.4 to 26.8 months, p = 0.038) and metastatic (2.3 vs. 3.4 months, p = 0.001) GBC but not in unresected, non-metastatic GBC. In early GBC, patients with radical cholecystectomy had a median OS of 76.7 compared to 18.4 months for simple cholecystectomy (p < 0.001). Palliative chemotherapy showed superior (p < 0.001) survival in metastatic (7.3 versus 2.1 months) and non-resected non-metastatic (7.7 versus 3.5 months) GBC. In conclusion, survival of GBC remains poor. Radical surgery and palliative chemotherapy appear to improve prognosis but remain under-utilized.

Prognostic value and risk stratification of residual disease in patients with incidental gallbladder cancer

Background and aim

Given their poor prognosis, patients with residual disease (RD) in the re-resection specimen of an incidental gallbladder carcinoma (IGBC) could benefit from a better selection for surgical treatment. The Gallbladder Cancer Risk Score (GBRS) has been proposed to preoperatively identify RD risk more precisely than T-stage alone. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of RD and to validate the GBRS in a retrospective series of patients.

Material and methods

A prospectively collected database including 59 patients with IGBC diagnosed from December 1996 to November 2015 was retrospectively analyzed. Three locations of RD were established: local, regional, and distant. The effect of RD on overall survival (OS) was analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method. To identify variables associated with the presence of RD, characteristics of patients with and without RD were compared using Fisher’s exact test. The relative risk of RD associated with clinical and pathologic factors was studied with a univariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

RD was found in 30 patients (50.8%). The presence of RD in any location was associated with worse OS (29% vs. 74.2%, p = 0.0001), even after an R0 resection (37.7% vs 74.2%, p = 0.003). There was no significant difference in survival between patients without RD and with local RD (74.2% vs 64.3%, p = 0.266), nor between patients with regional RD and distant RD (16.1% vs 20%, p = 0.411). After selecting patients in which R0 resection was achieved (n = 44), 5-year survival rate for patients without RD, local RD, and regional RD was, respectively, 74.2%, 75%, and 13.9% (p = 0.0001). The GBRS could be calculated in 25 cases (42.3%), and its usefulness to predict the presence of regional or distant RD (RDRD) was confirmed (80% in high-risk patients and 30% in intermediate risk p = 0.041).

Conclusion

RDRD, but not local RD, represents a negative prognostic factor of OS. The GBRS was useful to preoperatively identify patients with high risk of RDRD. An R0 resection did not improve OS of patients with regional RD.

Evolution of surgical management of gallbladder carcinoma and impact on outcome: results from two decades at a single-institution

BACKGROUND

The surgical approach to gallbladder cancer (GBCA) has evolved in recent years, but the impact on outcomes is unknown. This study describes differences in presentation, surgery, chemotherapy strategy, and survival for patients with GBCA over two decades at a tertiary referral center.

METHODS

A single-institution database was queried for patients with GBCA who underwent surgical evaluation and exploration and was studied retrospectively. Univariate logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between time and treatment. Univariate Cox proportional hazard regression assessed the association between year of diagnosis and survival.

RESULTS

From 1992 to 2015, 675 patients with GBCA were evaluated and 437 underwent exploration. Complete resection rates increased over time (p < 0.001). In those submitted to complete resection (n = 255, 58.4%), more recent years were associated with lower likelihood of bile duct resection and major hepatectomy but greater odds of neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy (p < 0.05). No significant association was found between year of diagnosis and OS or RFS (p > 0.05) for patients with complete resection.

CONCLUSION

Over the study period, GBCA treatment evolved to include fewer biliary and major hepatic resections with no apparent adverse impact on outcome. Further prospective trials, specifically limited to GBCA, are needed to determine the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Does Anatomic Resection Get More Benefits than Wedge Hepatectomy on the Prognosis for pT3 Unsuspected Gallbladder Cancer?

Background: Re-radical surgery is the only curative therapy for unsuspected gallbladder carcinoma (UGC). The aim of this study was to compare prognosis of pT3 UGC patients receiving anatomic hepatectomy (AH) or wedge hepatectomy (WH) combined with en bloc local-regional lymphadenectomy of the hepatoduodenal ligament using propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on 81 consecutive pT3 UGC patients who underwent radical re-resection at Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital from 2006 to 2015. Overall survival (OS) was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method. The difference in OS between the AH and WH groups was analyzed using the log-rank test and the PSM method. Result: The AH and WH groups showed no significant difference in OS (P > .05) by either log-rank test or PSM analysis. Conclusions: Both AH and WH radical re-resections are effective treatments for UCG patients with pT3 tumors.

Incidental versus non-incidental gallbladder cancer: index cholecystectomy before oncologic re-resection negatively impacts survival in T2b tumors

BACKGROUND

Conflicting data exists whether non-oncologic index cholecystectomy (IC) leading to discovery of incidental gallbladder cancer (IGBC) negatively impacts survival. This study aimed to determine whether a subgroup of patients derives a disadvantage from IC.

METHODS

Patients with IGBC and non-IGBC treated at an academic USA and Chilean center during 1999-2016 were compared. Patients with T1, T4 tumor or preoperative jaundice were excluded. T2 disease was classified into T2a (peritoneal-side tumor) and T2b (hepatic-side tumor). Disease-specific survival (DSS) and its predictors were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 196 patients included, 151 (77%) had IGBC. One hundred thirty-six (90%) patients of whom 118 (87%) had IGBC had T2 disease. Three-year DSS rates were similar between IGBC and non-IGBC for all patients. However, for T2b patients, 3-year survival rate was worse for IGBC (31% vs 85%; p = 0.019). In multivariate analysis of T2 patients, predictors of poor DSS were hepatic-side tumor hazard ratio [HR], 2.9; 95% CI, 1.6-5.4; p = 0.001) and N1 status (HR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.6-3.6; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with T2b gallbladder cancer specifically benefit from a single operation. These patients should be identified preoperatively and referred to hepatobiliary center.

Management of incidental gallbladder cancer in a national cohort

Background

Incidental gallbladder cancer is a rare event, and its prognosis is largely affected by the tumour stage and treatment. The aim of this study was to analyse the management, treatment and survival of patients with incidental gallbladder cancer in a national cohort over a decade.

Methods

Patients were identified through the Swedish Registry of Gallstone Surgery (GallRiks). Data were cross-linked to the national registry for liver surgery (SweLiv) and the Cancer Registry. Medical records were collected if registry data were missing. Survival was measured as disease-specific survival. The study was divided into two intervals (2007–2011 and 2012–2016) to evaluate changes over time.

Results

In total, 249 patients were identified with incidental gallbladder cancer, of whom 92 (36·9 per cent) underwent re-resection with curative intent. For patients with pT2 and pT3 disease, median disease-specific survival improved after re-resection (12·4 versus 44·1 months for pT2, and 9·7 versus 23·0 months for pT3). Residual disease was present in 53 per cent of patients with pT2 tumours who underwent re-resection; these patients had a median disease-specific survival of 32·2 months, whereas the median was not reached in patients without residual disease. Median survival increased by 11 months for all patients between the early and late periods (P = 0·030).

Conclusion

Re-resection of pT2 and pT3 incidental gallbladder cancer was associated with improved survival, but survival was impaired when residual disease was present. A higher re-resection rate and more R0 resections in the later time period may have been associated with improved survival.

Selecting treatment sequence for patients with incidental gallbladder cancer: a neoadjuvant approach versus upfront surgery

At MSKCC, over 50% of the patients presenting with gallbladder cancer have been diagnosed incidentally following elective cholecystectomy for presumed benign disease. While traditional management of incidental gallbladder cancer (IGBC) dictates re-resection with the ultimate goal of achieving cure, surgical decision-making must take into account that this malignancy is characterized by poor tumor biology with frequent distant recurrence. Since early and frequent distant recurrence is the most common cause of surgical failure, the surgical oncologist's goal should be to selectively re-resect only those patients most likely to benefit from an operation. The astute surgeon recognizes the high-risk patients who likely have micrometastatic disease at the time of diagnosis and alters the treatment sequence, delivering neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This strategy acts as a selection tool, as those progressing at distant sites during therapy are spared the morbidity and mortality of surgery and furthermore has the potential to treat micrometastatic disease. However, a chemotherapy first approach must be applied selectively since a poor response risks local progression to unresectability and a decrease in functional status that comes from the toxicities of dual agent chemotherapy that can impair surgical candidacy. To balance these risks and benefits, two other criteria for a neoadjuvant approach must be met: i) reliable identification of those patients who are at high risk of distant recurrence and who are, therefore, most likely to benefit from a systemic therapy first approach and ii) availability of effective chemotherapy options. In this review, we will outline the data and judgement we use to select a treatment sequence at our institution.

Improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of T2 gallbladder carcinoma is pivotal to improvement in the overall prognosis for this disease

Since the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) subdivided the T2 stage of gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) into T2a and T2b, the diagnosis and treatment of those stages have been a subject of heated discussion and controversy. T2 is a stage of GBC that might be treatable. Based on the extent of lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis, T2 GBC can be classified into various pathological stages such as IIA, IIB, IIIB, and IVB, leading to controversy in clinical settings. This review aims to discuss the effectiveness of and controversies concerning S4b+5 resection, the acceptable extent of lymph node dissection, the timing for treatment of incidental gallbladder cancer, and adjuvant therapy. This review also aims to suggest directions for and recommendations regarding clinical research in the future.

Systematic review of management of incidental gallbladder cancer after cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND

Gallbladder cancer is rare, but cancers detected incidentally after cholecystectomy are increasing. The aim of this study was to review the available data for current best practice for optimal management of incidental gallbladder cancer.

METHODS

A systematic PubMed search of the English literature to May 2018 was conducted.

RESULTS

The search identified 12 systematic reviews and meta-analyses, in addition to several consensus reports, multi-institutional series and national audits. Some 0·25-0·89 per cent of all cholecystectomy specimens had incidental gallbladder cancer on pathological examination. Most patients were staged with pT2 (about half) or pT1 (about one-third) cancers. Patients with cancers confined to the mucosa (T1a or less) had 5-year survival rates of up to 100 per cent after cholecystectomy alone. For cancers invading the muscle layer of the gallbladder wall (T1b or above), reresection is recommended. The type, extent and timing of reresection remain controversial. Observation time may be used for new cross-sectional imaging with CT and MRI. Perforation at initial surgery had a higher risk of disease dissemination. Gallbladder cancers are PET-avid, and PET may detect residual disease and thus prevent unnecessary surgery. Routine laparoscopic staging before reresection is not warranted for all stages. Risk of peritoneal carcinomatosis increases with each T category. The incidence of port-site metastases is about 10 per cent. Routine resection of port sites has no effect on survival. Adjuvant chemotherapy is poorly documented and probably underused.

CONCLUSION

Management of incidental gallbladder cancer continues to evolve, with more refined suggestions for subgroups at risk and a selective approach to reresection.

Gallbladder Cancer: Diagnosis, Surgical Management, and Adjuvant Therapies

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an often lethal disease, but surgical resection is potentially curative. Symptoms may be misdiagnosed as biliary colic; over half of new diagnoses are made after laparoscopic cholecystectomy for presumed benign disease. Gallbladder polyps >1 cm should prompt additional imaging and cholecystectomy. For GBC diagnosed after cholecystectomy, tumors T1b and greater necessitate radical cholecystectomy. Radical cholecystectomy includes staging laparoscopy, hepatic resection, and locoregional lymph node clearance to achieve R0 resection. Patients with locally advanced disease (T3 or T4), hepatic-sided T2 tumors, node positivity, or R1 resection may benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. Chemotherapy increases survival in unresectable disease.

Laparoscopic Excisional Cholecystectomy with Full-Thickness Frozen Biopsy in Suspected Gallbladder Carcinoma

Owing to the advantages of a laparoscopic approach, laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is thought to be the treatment of choice in gallbladder disease, even in cases of suspected malignancy. However, it is difficult to differentiate between cholecystitis and gallbladder carcinoma (GBC). We performed radical hepatectomy in patients with pT2 GBC diagnosed by full-thickness frozen biopsy. A 75-year-old Japanese man presented to our hospital with discomfort in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. This patient was diagnosed with suspected GBC and was scheduled to undergo LC and intraoperative histological examination. Following the procedure, we made a diagnosis of GBC with negative invasion of the cystic duct stump. We converted the laparoscopic procedure to an open surgery involving wedge liver resection with lymphadenectomy. The patient was discharged from our hospital in remission 14 days following the radical hepatectomy. Histological examination showed that the GBC had invaded the liver (T3a), but there was no lymph node metastasis (N0): stage IIIA. Between April 2009 and September 2018, 580 patients underwent cholecystectomy for gallbladder disease at our hospital. Among these, 8 (1.4%) were suspected to have GBC preoperatively and underwent laparoscopic excisional cholecystectomy. We performed elective surgery in the early stage in two patients and second-look surgery in two patients recently. We were able to perform what we termed a laparoscopic excisional cholecystectomy, involving LC with a full-thickness frozen biopsy, even in situations where intraoperative histological examination was not available. Altogether, laparoscopic excisional cholecystectomy is an effective surgical treatment for suspected early GBC.

Surgical strategy for suspected early gallbladder carcinoma including incidental gallbladder carcinoma diagnosed during or after cholecystectomy

Purpose

This paper presents an overview of the surgical strategy for patients with suspected gallbladder carcinoma (GBC), including incidental GBC cases, preoperatively or intraoperatively, as well as their outcomes.

Methods

Between April 2009 and December 2017, 529 patients underwent cholecystectomy for gallbladder disease at our hospital. Both intraoperative and postoperative histological examinations of the excised gallbladder facilitated the diagnosis of GBC. Surgery-related variables and surgical approaches were evaluated according to the extent of tumor invasion.

Results

Of 529 patients, eight were diagnosed with GBC during/after cholecystectomy, including four women and four men. Mean age was 75.4 (range, 59–89) years. Five patients had gallbladder stones and three had cholecystitis. Three patients with stages T1b and T2 underwent additional liver bed wedge resections with or without prophylactic common bile duct excision. Five of the eight patients are still alive and two of the remaining three died from other diseases; one patient with pT3 died of recurrent GBC (peritonitis carcinomatosa).

Conclusion

Because of the ability to obtain full-thickness frozen biopsies during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, we could diagnose GBC intraoperatively, allowing for rapid diagnosis and tumor resection. We recommend developing a surgical treatment strategy for suspected early GBC in advance of cholecystectomy.

•

Gallbladder carcinoma can be diagnosed during or after cholecystectomy.

•

Frozen biopsies from cholecystectomy allow for the intraoperative diagnosis of GBC.

•

The intraoperative diagnosis of GBC facilitates surgical resection of tumors.

•

Surgical strategies incorporating intraoperative diagnosis should be developed.

Clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of rare histologic subtypes of gallbladder cancer over two decades: A population-based study

Background

There is limited literature about the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of rare histologic variants of gallbladder cancer (GBC).

Methods

Using SEER database, surgically managed GBC patients with microscopically confirmed adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous/squamous cell carcinoma and papillary carcinoma were identified from 1988 to 2009. Patients with second primary cancer and distant metastasis at presentation were excluded. The effect of clinicopathological variables on overall survival (OS) and disease specific survival (DSS) were analyzed using univariate and multivariate proportional hazards modeling. All associations were considered statistically significant at an alpha error of 0.01.

Results

Out of 4738 cases, 217 adenosquamous/squamous (4.6%), 367 papillary (7.7%), and 4154 adenocarcinomas (87.7%) were identified. Median age was 72 years. Higher tumor grade (grade 2, 3, 4 versus grade 1), higher T stage (T2, T3, T4 versus T1), lymph node positivity (N1 versus N0) and adenosquamous/squamous histology (versus adenocarcinoma) had worse OS and DSS (p < .001). Papillary GBC had better OS and DSS than adenocarcinoma (HR = 0.7; p < .001). Radical surgery (versus simple cholecystectomy) had better OS (HR = 0.83, p = 0.002) in multivariate analysis. OS rates at 3 and 5 years were 0.56 and 0.44 for papillary, 0.3 and 0.22 for adenocarcinoma, and 0.14 and 0.12 for adenosquamous/squamous histology, while DSS rates at 3 and 5 years were 0.67 and 0.61 for papillary, 0.38 and 0.31 for adenocarcinoma, and 0.17 and 0.16 for adenosquamous/squamous subtypes respectively.

Conclusion

Papillary GBC had better survival outcomes while adenosquamous/squamous GBC had worse survival outcomes compared to gallbladder adenocarcinoma.

Predicting Residual Disease in Incidental Gallbladder Cancer: Risk Stratification for Modified Treatment Strategies

INTRODUCTION

Re-operation is advised for patients with T1b or greater incidental gallbladder cancer (GBCA). The presence of residual disease (RD) impacts resectability, chemotherapy, and survival. This study created a preoperative model to predict RD at re-operation.

METHODS

Patients with re-operation for incidental GBCA from 1992-2015 were included. The relationship between pathology data from initial cholecystectomy and RD at re-operation was assessed with logistic regression and classification and regression tree (CART) analysis.

RESULTS

Two hundred fifty-four patients were included and 188 underwent definitive re-resection (74.0%). Distant RD was identified in 69 (27.2%) patients and locoregional only RD in 82 (32.3%). On multivariate analysis, T3 (OR 22.7, 95% CI 5.5-94.4) and poorly differentiated tumors (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.4-13.3) were associated with RD (p < 0.001-0.012). AUC of multivariate model was 0.78 (95% CI 0.72-0.83). CART analysis split patients into groups based on percentage with RD: 87% RD with T3, 67% RD with T1b/T2 and poorly differentiated, and 35% RD with T1b/T2 and well/moderate differentiated tumors.

CONCLUSION

Based on T stage and grade from cholecystectomy, this study developed a model for predicting RD at re-operation in incidental GBCA. This model delineates patient groups with variable percentages of RD and could be used to stratify high-risk patients for prospective trials.

Systemic Chemotherapy Combined with Resection for Locally Advanced Gallbladder Carcinoma: Surgical and Survival Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Preoperative chemotherapy is a strategy for converting to resection and/or assessing disease biology before operation. The utility of such an approach in gallbladder carcinoma (GBCA) is unknown. This study evaluated outcomes of GBCA patients treated with chemotherapy for locally advanced or lymph node-involved tumors.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients who received systemic chemotherapy for locally advanced or lymph node-positive GBCA were identified from a departmental database. Patients were excluded if there was any evidence of distant metastases or if records were inadequate to determine initial chemotherapy and response. Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), operative results, and overall survival (OS) were assessed.

RESULTS

Seventy-four patients were included, from 1992 to 2015. Eighty-nine percent of patients (n = 64) were treated with gemcitabine and 57% with gemcitabine/platinum (n = 42). At initial response assessment, 17 patients (23%) had progression. The remaining patients had stable disease (n = 38, 51%) or partial response (n = 19, 26%). Twenty-two patients (30%) underwent attempt at resection, which was definitive for 10 patients (14%). Median OS for the entire cohort was 14 months (95% CI 11.3 to 17.9). Among patients with surgery, definitive resection was associated with a median OS of 51 months (95% CI 11.7 to 55.3) compared with 11 months (95% CI 4.1 to 23.6) for those with unresectable disease (p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Even without distant metastases, locally advanced or lymph node-positive GBCA is associated with poor outcomes. Definitive resection was possible in a subset of patients selected for surgery after a favorable response to chemotherapy and was associated with long-term survival. We recommend surgical re-evaluation after chemotherapy to select potential operative candidates.

Technical Aspects of Gallbladder Cancer Surgery

In this review, the authors present an updated description of gallbladder cancer in 2 sections based on presentation: disease that presents incidentally following laparoscopic cholecystectomy and malignancy that is suspected preoperatively. Elements pertaining to technical aspects of surgical resection provide the critical focus of this review and are discussed in the context of evidence-based literature on gallbladder cancer today.

Implications of the index cholecystectomy and timing of referral for radical resection of advanced incidental gallbladder cancer

INTRODUCTION

Advanced (pT2/T3) incidental gallbladder cancer is often deemed unresectable after restaging. This study assesses the impact of the primary operation, tumour characteristics and timing of management on re-resection.

METHODS

The records of 60 consecutive referrals for incidental gallbladder cancer in a single tertiary centre from 2003 to 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Decision on re-resection of incidental gallbladder cancer was based on delayed interval restaging at three months following cholecystectomy. Demographics, index cholecystectomy data, primary pathology, CA19-9 tumour marker levels at referral and time from cholecystectomy to referral as well as from referral to restaging were analysed.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven patients with pT2 and twelve patients with pT3 incidental gallbladder cancer were candidates for radical re-resection. Following interval restaging, 24 patients (49%) underwent radical resection and 25 (51%) were deemed inoperable. The inoperable group had significantly more patients with positive resection margins at cholecystectomy (p=0.002), significantly higher median CA19-9 levels at referral (p=0.018) and were referred significantly earlier (p=0.004) than the patients who had resectable tumours. On multivariate analysis, urgent referral (p=0.036) and incomplete cholecystectomy (p=0.048) were associated significantly with inoperable disease following restaging.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with incidental, potentially resectable, pT2/T3 gallbladder cancer, inappropriate index cholecystectomy may have a significant impact on tumour dissemination. Early referral of breached tumours is not associated with resectability.