Diagnosis and surgical treatment of primary hepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Background/Aims: To summarize the. experience in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of primary hepatic cholarigiocarcinoma (PHCC). Methodology: Forty-seven PHCC Patients, who had undergone surgical treatment in our hospital from 1970 to 1999, were retrospectively analyzed with their clinicopathological features, surgical treatments and prognoses. Results: 1) PHCC patients lacked typical clinical manifestation and some had an accompanying history of virus B hepatitis (36.2%, 17/47). and liver cirrhosis (46.8%, 23/47), and elevation of AFP (25.5%, 12/47). 2) The detection rates of BUS, CT, MRI and liver scintigraphy were 95.7% (45/47), 93.6% (44/47), 100% (23/23) and 100% (4/4), respectively. The, lesions detected by those methods needed to differentiate with hepatocellular carcinoma. 3.) The resection rate was 76.6% (36/47), the Postoperative overall 3- and 5-year survival rates were 54.1% (24/47), 34.0% (16/47), and 29.8% (14/47) in all patients, respectively, including the 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 83.3% (30/36), 50.0% (18/36), and 38.9% (14/36) in hepatectomy cases, respectively. 4) All of the four patients who survived more than 5 years, including small liver cancer (<= 3cm) three cases and, encapsulated large nodular lesion one case, received curable resection and postoperative adjuvant therapies. Conclusions: PHCC patients can obtain a better result by early detection and curative resection with, adjuvant therapies.