Survival analysis of biliary tract cancer cases in Turkey

Abstract

Background: Because of the relative rarity of biliary tract cancers (BTCs), defining long term survival results is difficult. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the survival of a series of cases in Turkey. Materials and Methods: A totally of 47 patients with billiary tract cancer from Mersin Goverment Hospital, Acibadem Kayseri Hospital and Kayseri Training and Research Hospital were analyzed retrospectively using hospital records between 2006-2012. Results: The median overall survival was 19.3±3.9 months for all patients. The median disease free and overall survivals were 24.3±5.3 and 44.1±12.9 months in patients in which radical surgery was performed, but in those with with inoperable disease they were only 5.3±1.5 and 10.7±3.2 months, respectively. Conclusions: BTCs have a poor prognosis. Surgery with a microscopic negative margin is still the only curative treatment.