Effect of adjuvant gemcitabine combined with low-dose 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin chemotherapy for advanced biliary carcinoma

Abstract

Background/Aim: The aim of this retrospective study was to clarify the effectiveness of chemotherapy with gemcitabine combined with low-dose 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin (GFP) for advanced biliary carcinoma after hepatectomy. Patients and Methods: Sixty-two patients had biliary carcinoma with lymph node metastasis, intrahepatic metastasis or positive surgical margins, including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHC, n=25), hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC, n=14), and gallbladder cancer (GBC, n=23). Twentyeight patients (IHC; n=9, HC; n=8, GBC; n=11) received adjuvant GFP chemotherapy. Results: We found no significant difference in clinicopathological factors in patients treated with or without adjuvant GFP chemotherapy. Overall, survival in the adjuvant GFP group was significantly better than that in the non-adjuvant GFP group (3-year survival: 61.9% vs. 8.8%, p<0.001), as was relapse-free survival. Conclusion: Adjuvant GFP chemotherapy after hepatectomy may be a promising option for improving surgical outcomes in patients with advanced biliary carcinoma.