Factors affecting survival after resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

This study aimed at assessing the prognostic factors of resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC), which remain unclear. Among 70 patients with IHCC, who were admitted to our hospital between 1998 and 2011, 45 (64 %) underwent resection and 25 had unresectable tumors. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted retrospectively to assess the factors influencing survival of the patients who underwent resection. The median survival times of the patients who underwent resection versus those who did not were 16 months versus 9 months, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified residual tumor status (relative risk 4.12, P = 0.04) and pathological differentiation (relative risk 5.55, P = 0.04) as independent factors predicting survival. Patients who underwent R1 resection had a significantly higher rate of local recurrence than those who underwent R0 resection (P = 0.008). With R0 resection, there were no significant differences in patterns and rates of recurrence between patients with narrow (a parts per thousand currency sign5 mm) versus wide (> 5 mm) surgical margins. R0/1 resection and a well-differentiated tumor were found to be independent prognostic factors for long-term survival after IHCC resection. If R0 resection was achieved, the width of the negative surgical margin did not affect the patterns and rates of recurrence.