The postperative results and survival rate of extrahepatic bile duct cancer

Kwak, Hi Suk; Kim, Dong Heon

Abstract

The extrahepatic bile duct cancers(EBDC) are rare and are found late stage in their course. Because of their location in close proximity to the liver, hepatic artery, and portal vein, they are often unresectable. However, high survival rates after an aggressive surgical resection has been reported lately. This report presents the results of 62 cases with EBDC operated at the Department of Surgery, Pusan National University Hospital, from 1988 to 1997. EBDC usually occurs in older age group. especially between 60~70 years of age, and the mean age was 56.6 years. Sex ratio(male:female) was 5.2:1 with male predominance. Frequent clinical manifestations in order of frequency were jaundice(82.3%), abdominal pain(69.4%), pruritus(35.5%), anorexia(33.9%), fever and chill(32.3%), weight loss(22.6%). The laboratory findings were increased alkaline phosphatase(93.5%), bilirubin(77.4%), SGOT(77.4%), SGPT(69.4%). Elevated CEA(>5ng/dl) was 28.6%. The preoperative diagnostic accuracy was 100.0% in ERCP and PTC, 96.4% in abdominal CT, and 95.3% in ultrasonogram. The most common site of the cancer was lower third of the bile duct(61.3%), followed by upper third(27.4%) and middle third(11.3%). Curative resection was possible in 33 cases(53.2%) and the other 29 cases were received palliative biliary decompression. Postoperative complications were bile leakage(30.6%), wound infection( 25.8%), intraabdominal hematoma(19.4%), cholangitis(17.7%), and UGI bleeding(11.3%). The dead cases were 5 cases(8.0%) of all 62 cases and the causes of death were sepsis in 3 cases(4.8%) and UGI bleeding 2 cases(3.2%). By TNM classification(AJCC, 1992) stage IV(64.5%) was most common and stage II(25.9%) was next in order. Among the 62 adenocarcinoma, 25 cases were poorly-differentiated lesion(40.3%), 19 cases were moderately-differentiated lesion(30.6%), and 18 cases were well-differentiated lesion(29.0%). In conclusion, the survival rates of EBDC were higher low staged, curative resected, well differentiated and lower third located groups than high staged, palliative resected, poorly differentiated and upper third located groups.