Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for positive hepatic ductal margin on cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

Aim: This study evaluated the effects of postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (A-CRT) for positive hepatic ductal margin (HM+) in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC). Methods: Patients with EHCC who underwent surgical resection between 2002 and 2014 were included in this retrospective study. For patients with HM+, A-CRT was conducted. The clinical effect of A-CRT for HM+ on the survival and recurrence and prognostic factors of EHCC was reviewed. Results: Among 340 patients, the hepatic ductal margin was negative in 296 and positive in 44. Of the 44 patients with HM+, 22 received postoperative A-CRT, and 22 did not. Hepatic stump recurrence occurred in 19 patients. The incidence was significantly higher in patients with HM+ (20%, 9/44) than in those with negative hepatic ductal margin (HM−) (3%, 10/296) (P