Caudate Lobe Resection with Major Hepatectomy for Central Cholangiocarcinoma: Is it of Value?

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of concomitant caudate lobe resection in the course of major hepatectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methodology: During the period between January 1995 and December 2010, 159 patients were subjected to major hepatectomy with or without total caudate lobe resection at the Gastroenterology Centre, Mansoura University. These patients were divided in two groups: 1) a caudate lobe preservation (CLP) group (79 patients) and 2) a caudate lobe resection (CLR) group (80 patients). All patient data were retrospectively reviewed. Results: This study included 94 men and 65 women with a mean age of 53.5±0 years without operative mortality. No differences were observed between groups regarding operative time, blood loss or the development of any individual postoperative complication. There were 23 (28.8%) margin-positive resections in the CLR group and 49 (62%) margin-positive resections in the CLP group (p≤0.001). Recurrence was confirmed in 53 (67.1%) and in 41(51.3%) patients in the CLP and CLR groups, respectively (p=0.031). The median survival of the CLR group was 36 months with a 5-year survival rate of 28%, while the median survival of the CLP group was 22 months with a 5-year survival rate of 5% (p≤0.001). Conclusions: Caudate lobe resection in combination with major hepatectomy did not affect operative or postoperative morbidity and mortality. However, it led to higher rates of margin-negative resections and significantly improved survival.     

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the role of vascular resection in the treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Background

The management of hilar cholangiocarcinoma has evolved over time and extended liver resection, including the caudate lobe, and major vascular resection and extended lymphadenectomy have become established practice. The benefit of vascular resection has not been investigated.

Methods

A systematic search of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was used to identify studies. A systematic review and a meta-analysis of the available studies were conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Odds ratios were calculated using the Mantel–Haenszel method. Primary outcome variables assessed included morbidity, mortality, vascular complications and the effect of vascular resection on longterm survival.

Results

Of 411 search results, only 24 studies reported the results of vascular resection in hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Meta-analysis showed increased morbidity and mortality with hepatic artery resection. Portal vein resection was achievable with no impact on postoperative mortality. Vascular resection did not improve negative margin rates and had no impact on longterm survival.

Conclusions

Portal vein resection does not preclude curative resection; however, it is not routinely recommended unless there is suspicion of tumour invasion. There was no proven survival advantage with portal vein resection. Arterial resection results in higher morbidity and mortality with no proven benefit.     

One hundred and eleven liver resections for hilar bile duct cancer

A positive correlation between absence of residual tumor at resection margins and long‐term survival in the treatment of hilar bile duct carcinoma has encouraged some surgeons to use a more radical approach, including liver/portal vein resection and combined pancreatoduodenectomy. However, if liver resection is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, it may not produce any overall benefit. This review was undertaken in an attempt to determine whether liver resection is a safe procedure and whether if has any beneficial effect over that of local bile duct excision alone, in terms of achieving curative resection and long‐term survival. The records of 151 patients with hilar bile duct carcinoma surgically treated between June 1989 and December 1997 at the Asan Medical Center, Seoul, were retrospectively analyzed. Surgical resection was possible in 128 patients. The remaining 23 patients had surgical palliative drainage. Local bile duct excision alone was performed in 17 patients. Liver resection for tumor extending to secondary bile ducts or hepatic parenchyma was performed in 111 patients; portal vein resection was necessary in 29 of these 111 patients (26.1%) and pancreatoduodenectomy was combined in 18 patients (16.2%). Seven patients died during hospitalization after liver resection, an operative mortality of 6.3%. Margins of bile duct resection were free of tumor on histologic examination in 4 of the 17 local bile duct excisions, but in 86 of the 111 liver resections. The cumulative survival rate after local bile duct excision was 85.7% at 1 year, 42.9% at 2 years, 21.4% at 3 years, and 0% at 4 years. However, the survival rate after liver resection (excluding operative mortality) was 97.1% at 1 year, 72.8% at 2 years, 55.3% at 3 years, and 24.0% at 5 years. Survival and the percentage of patients with tumor‐free resection margins after liver resection were superior to those after local bile duct excision. Resection of hilar bile duct carcinoma offers long‐term survival only when surgery is aggressive and includes liver resection.     

Surgical treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma in the new era: the Asan experience

Background/purpose

Both curative resection and minimized in-hospital mortality offer the only chance of long-term survival in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The reported resectability rates for hilar cholangiocarcinoma have increased by virtue of combined major hepatectomy, but this procedure is technically demanding and still associated with a significant morbidity and mortality that must be carefully balanced against the chances of long-term survival.

Methods

Between January 2001 and December 2008, 350 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma underwent exploration for the purpose of potentially curative resection, of whom 302 (86.3%) were resected in the Department of Hepato-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine. Combined hepatectomy was carried out in 268 (88.7%) of 302 resected patients. Major hemihepatectomy and parenchyma-preserving hepatectomy were performed in 257 and 11 patients, respectively. Portal vein resection was associated in 40 (14.9%) of 268 hepatectomized patients. To control preoperative cholangitis and reduce risk of postoperative hepatic failure, biliary decompression through endoscopic and/or percutaneous transhepatic drainage and portal vein embolization were preoperatively applied in 329 (94.0%) of 350 explored patients and in 91 (54.2%) of 168 extended hepatectomized patients (154 right hemihepatectomy, 9 right trisectionectomy, 5 left trisectionectomy), respectively. Liver transplantation was not performed as primary treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Results

There were 5 cases (1.7%) of in-hospital death after resection and 1 postoperative liver failure that was successfully treated with liver transplantation. Major complications were encountered in 23 patients (7.0%), and the overall morbidity rate was 43%. In 302 resections, 214 (70.9%) were curative resections (R0) and 88 (29.1%) were palliative resections (R1). The overall 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates after resection, including in-hospital deaths, were 84.6, 50.7 and 47.3% in the R0 group and 69.9, 33.3 and 7.5% in the R1 group, respectively. The 5-year survival rate of extended hemihepatectomy of 36.4% was better than that of parenchyma-preserving hepatectomy at 10.5%. Two significant predictive factors adversely affecting survival after resection were lymph node metastasis and incurability of surgery (P < 0.001). Two patients with vascular involvement who underwent concomitant hepatic artery and portal vein reconstruction are alive after more than 3 years.

Conclusion

Preoperative biliary decompression and portal vein embolization enabled us to reduce in-hospital deaths associated with extended hepatectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Major hemihepatectomy offers an increased survival because of the higher possibility of curative resection than bile duct resection alone and parenchyma-preserving hepatectomy, but it still carries a certain mortality. Less extensive procedures can be conducted safely and are beneficial for aged patients in poor condition with a less advanced tumor stage if tumor-free resectional margins are obtained.     

Outcome of surgical treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma: a special reference to postoperative morbidity and mortality

Background/purpose

Radical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to analyze short-term surgical outcomes and to validate our strategies, including preoperative management and selection of operative procedure.

Methods

We surgically treated 146 consecutive patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma with a management strategy consisting of preoperative biliary drainage, portal vein embolization, and selection of operative procedure based on tumor extension and hepatic reserve. Major hepatectomy was conducted in 126 patients, and caudate lobectomy or hilar bile duct resection in 20 patients.

Results

The overall 5-year survival rate was 35.5%, with overall in-hospital mortality and morbidity rates of 3.4 and 44%, respectively. Hyperbilirubinemia (total bilirubin >5 mg/dL, persisted for >7 postoperative days) and liver abscess were the most frequent complications. Five among 9 patients with liver failure (total bilirubin >10 mg/dL) encountered in-hospital mortality. Four out of 5 mortality patients had suffered circulatory impairment of the remnant liver due to other complications. Multivariate analysis revealed that operative time is a single independent significant predictive factor (odds ratio, 1.005; 95% confidence interval, 1.000–1.010, P = 0.04) for postoperative complications.

Conclusions

Aggressive resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma, performed in accordance with strict management strategy, achieved acceptably low mortality. Prolonged operative time was a risk for morbidity following hepatobiliary resection.     

Short- and long-term results of extended left hepatectomy for colorectal metastases

BackgroundAn extended left hepatectomy is a complex hepatic resection often performed for large tumours in close relationship to major hilar structures. Operative outcomes of this resection for colorectal liver metastases (CLM) remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to assess short- and long-term outcome for patients with CLM after an extended left hepatectomy.MethodsA retrospective analysis of consecutive patients undergoing an extended left hepatectomy for CLM in a large, single-centre cohort between January 1990 and January 2006 was performed.ResultsThirty-one patients (3.9%) from a consecutive series of 802 patients who had undergone hepatic resection were identified as having met the definition of an extended left hepatectomy and were included for further analysis. Maximum tumour size was more than 60 mm in 15 patients, with a median size of 67.5 mm for the total group (range: 20 to 160 mm). Twenty-six patients presented with initially unresectable metastases, related to large tumour size in 11 patients and to a close relation with major vascular structures in six patients. Preoperative chemotherapy was administered to 29 patients. Combined vascular resection was performed in five patients. The mortality rate at 90 days was zero and post-operative morbidity occurred in 17 patients. R0 and R1 resections were performed in 17 and 11 patients, respectively. Three- and 5-year overall survival was 38% and 27%, respectively. Disease-free survival was 9% and 4% at 3 and 5 years. Morbidity did not differ between patients with and without a caudate lobectomy (9 of 17 patients vs. 8 of 14 patients, respectively) (P= 0.815).ConclusionsAn extended left hepatectomy for CLM can provide significant long-term survival. However, morbidity is increased in this complex procedure. A caudate lobectomy does not impact surgical outcome.Large case series demonstrating that extended left hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases is associated with significant morbidity but provides significant long-term survival     

Hepatic resection for colorectal metastases in the caudate lobe of the liver

Although hepatic resections for colorectal metastases have become established procedures, there is still only a small number of reports of hepatic resections for such metastases in the caudate lobe. From 1993 to 2001, seven patients underwent eight hepatic resections for colorectal metastases in the caudate lobe at our department. The patients were five men and two women, and their ages were from 53 to 73 years. The ratio of synchronous to metachronous liver metastases was 2?:?5. Solitary metastasis was observed in one patient. One patient with a metastasis in the Spiegel lobe and three patients with metastasis in the caudate process underwent partial resection of the site. The other patients underwent resection of the Spiegel lobe (two times), resection of the right-sided caudate lobe, and total caudate lobe resection. The mean (±SE) operative time was 315.9 ± 30.6?min. Mean intraoperative blood loss was 1325.9 ± 421.1?ml, and mean postoperative hospital stay was 21 ± 3.7 days. One patient, who underwent sigmoidectomy and hepatectomy as an emergency operation due to ileus, experienced wound infection. No patient died within 12 months after the surgery. Five patients were alive at 24 months, and three at 36 months. The outcome of these patients encourages us to continue performing hepatic resection for colorectal metastases in the caudate lobe, as it is assumed to be a safe and effective procedure.     

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma—surgical anatomy and curative resection

We have studied the surgical anatomy of the intrahepatic bile duct, hepatic hilus, and caudate lobe based on intraoperative findings and selective cholangiography of surgical patients and resected specimens, and have established the cholangiographic anatomy of the intrahepatic subsegmental bile duct. Thorough knowledge of the three-dimensional anatomy of the subsegmental bile duct, hepatic hilus, and caudate lobe is indispensable for curative surgery of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. We designed and actually performed 15 kinds of hepatic segmentectomies with caudate lobectomy and extrahepatic bile buct resection in 100 consecutive patients, with curative resection being possible in 82 patients. Postoperative survival after curative resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma was better than expected, and the 5-year survival rates for all 82 patients with curative resection and for 55 patients with curative surgery without portal vein resection were 31% and 43%, respectively. Hepatic segmentectomy with caudate lobectomy and extrahepatic bile duct resection should be designed not only in accordance with the preoperative diagnosis of tumor extension into the intrahepatic bile ducts but also so that curative surgery for advanced hilar cholangiocarcinoma can be performed.     

Addition of hepatectomy decreases liver recurrence and leads to long survival in hilar cholangiocarcinoma

AIM： To evaluate hepatic recurrence and prognostic factors for survival in patients with surgically resected hilar cholangiocarcinoma in a single institution over the last 13 years. METHODS： From 1994 to 2007, all patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma referred to a surgical clinic were evaluated. Demographic data, tumor characteristics, and outcome were analyzed retrospectively. Outcome was compared in patients who underwent additional liver resection with resection of the tumor. RESULTS： Of the 69 patients submitted to laparotomy for tumor resection, curative resection （Ro resection） was performed in 40 patients, and palliative resection in 29. Thirty-one patients had only duct resection, and 38 patients had combined duct resection with liver resection including 34 total or part caudate lobes. Curative rates with the combined hepatectomy were significantly improved compared with those without additional hepatectomy （27/38 vs 13/31; X^2 = 5.94, P 〈 0.05）. Concomitant liver resection was associated with a decreased incidence of initial recurrence in liver one year after surgery （11/38 vs 23/31; X^2 = 13.98, P 〈 0.01）. The 3-year survival rate after Ro resection was 30.7% and was 10.5% for palliative resection. R0 resection improved the 3-year survival rate （30.7% vs 10.5%; X^2 = 12.47, P 〈 0.01）.CONCLUSION： Hepatectomy, especially including the caudate lobe combined with bile duct resection should be considered standard treatment to cure hilar cholangiocarcinoma.     

The value of caudate lobectomy in hilar cholangiocarcinoma treatment: A meta-analysis

Purpose:To discuss the value of caudate lobectomy in hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) treatment.Methods:A systematic review was performed in PubMed, MEDLINE database, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library for trials comparing combined caudate lobectomy with controls from January 1, 1990 to December 2, 2020. The outcomes were postoperative radical cure information, survival condition, morbidity, and mortality.Result:Ten studies were included. No difference was observed in the morbidity (odd ratio (OR) 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65–1.33) and mortality (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.55–2.42) between the combined caudate lobectomy and control groups. Hepatectomy combined with caudate lobectomy was associated with higher incidence of radical resection (OR 3.88, 95% CI 2.18–6.90) and longer survival (hazard ratio 0.45, 95% CI 0.38–0.55).Conclusion:Combining caudate lobectomy can significantly increase the incidence of radical resection of HCCA and the postoperative survival time. The morbidity and mortality were not increased after the operation. Thus, caudate lobectomy should be included when performing partial hepatectomy for HCCA.     

Isolated resection of the caudate lobe: indications, technique and results

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This paper reports a series of 24 isolated caudate lobe resections (ICLR), performed for 13 benign tumors (10 hemangiomas, 2 focal nodular hyperplasias, 1 adenoma) and 11 malignant tumors (3 hepatocarcinomas, 1 peripheral cholangiocarcinoma and 7 metastatic - 5 colorectal carcinomas, 1 breast carcinoma, 1 adrenal carcinoma). Klatskin tumors were excluded. METHODOLOGY: There were 10 hemangioma enucleations, 7 Spiegel lobe resections and 7 high dorsal resections. Total vascular exclusion was performed in 7 cases. Vascular resection with reconstruction was necessary in 5 cases. RESULTS: Complications occurred in 7 cases (3 bile leaks, 3 abdominal fluid collections and one liver failure leading to death). From the 10 patients with malignant tumors who survived the operation, 7 developed recurrences: 2 intrahepatic, 1 retroperitoneal, 4 systemic. Five patients are alive (3 without recurrence). One patient died of multiple complications after a repeat hepatectomy and colectomy. Three patients died from generalized disease. Another patient, with generalized disease, was lost from follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: ICLR is a difficult operation, especially with malignant tumors. Total vascular exclusion of the liver is routinely recommended in high dorsal resection. Malignant tumors located in the caudate lobe have a poor prognosis; local and, especially, distant metastases are frequent. Aggressive chemotherapy and follow-up are recommended.     

Surgical treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma

From September 1976 to February 1998, we experienced 75 resected patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Curative resection was performed in 45 patients (60.0%), with a cumulative 5‐year survival rate of 39.8%. In this retrospective study, we compared therapeutic outcomes in these 75 patients according to the period during which they were treated; (1) 12 patients in the early period (September 1976 to August 1981) chiefly treated by bile duct resection, (2) 50 patients in the middle period, September 1981 to August 1994, chiefly treated by aggressive surgical procedures with extensive hepatectomy plus caudate lobe resection, and (3) 13 patients in the late period, September 1994 to February 1998, during which percutaneous transhepatic portal embolization was introduced to increase the safety and curability of extended hepatectomy, and limited hepatectomy was selected according to tumor spread. In the late period, total resection of the caudate lobe was done in all patients, with the aim being thorough resection of cancer cells in the caudate lobe. The curative resection rates were 16.7% in the early period, 64.0% in the middle period, and 84.6% in the late period, showing an improvement year‐by‐year (P < 0.05; early period vs middle period and late period). All patients in the early period died within 2 years of resection, whereas the 5‐year survival rate in the middle period was 24.4%, significantly improved (P < 0.05) compared with the early period. The 1‐ and 3‐year survival rates of 84.6% and 58.0%, respectively, in the late period, show an even greater improvement in outcome.     

Aggressive surgical treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Recent progress in surgical techniques for and the perioperative management of hilar cholangiocarcinoma has led to improved outcomes for aggressive liver and bile duct resections, which, however, still show considerable morbidity and mortality. In this article, the results of pioneers' attempts in hepatobiliary surgery for difficult hilar cholangiocarcinomas are reviewed. It is recommended that curative hepatobiliary resection should be performed for hilar cholangiocarcinoma, with careful preoperative management of patients complicated with several difficult conditions.     

Cholangiocellular carcinoma--the role of caudate lobe resection and mesohepatectomy

BACKGROUND: The surgical treatment of perihilar cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC) is challenging due to the adjacency of the tumor to the hilar vessels, major hepatic veins, bile ducts, and the inferior vena cava. Additionally, the tumour frequently infiltrates the parenchyma of the caudate lobe or/and invades its bile ducts. CONSENSUS STATEMENTS: Negative margin caudate hepatectomy is rarely feasible. Isolated partial or complete caudate lobe resection is an oncologically inadequate procedure. Extended hepatectomies in combination with caudate lobectomy can provide prolonged survival, even in patients with advanced CCC. Mesohepatectomy is an oncologically adequate procedure for selected patients with CCC and compromised liver function. The procedure is technically demanding; however, it lowers the risk of postoperative liver failure.     

Outcomes for Abdominoperineal Resections Are Not Worse Than Those of Anterior Resections

Purpose Local recurrence and cure rates following abdominoperineal resections have been reported to be much worse than sphincter-preserving anterior resections. We compared the oncologic outcomes of patients treated by abdominoperineal resections with those following sphincter-preserving anterior resections. Methods The medical records of patients who underwent radical rectal resection for rectal carcinoma at the Colorectal Surgery Department, Singapore General Hospital, during the period from April 1989 to April 2002 were reviewed. A total of 791 cases were studied. Operative procedures were classified as either abdominoperineal resections or anterior resections with either straight or pouch anastomosis. Total mesorectal excision was routinely performed for carcinomas of the lower middle and lower third of the rectum. Sentinel events, including local and systemic recurrences or morbidity and mortality, were tracked prospectively. Results There were a total of 93 abdominoperineal resections (12.1 percent), 547 anterior resections with straight anastomoses (71 percent), and 130 anterior resections with pouch anastomoses (16.9 percent). Postoperative mortality was 2.6 percent and postoperative morbidity was 13.6 percent with an overall anastomotic leakage rate of 2.5 percent. The cumulative five-year local recurrence rate was 5.4 percent for abdominoperineal resections, 3.6 percent for anterior resections with straight anastomoses, and 3.8 percent for anterior resections with pouch anastomoses (P = 0.73 by log-rank test). The median time to local recurrence also did not differ significantly between the different procedures (abdominoperineal resections, 17 months, anterior resections with straight anastomoses, 18 months, anterior resections with pouch anastomoses, 13 months). Independent predictors for local recurrence included advanced tumor stage, tumor depth, and poorly differentiated tumors. The five-year cancer-specific survival was 70 percent. The type of anastomosis did not influence disease-free survival with median disease-free survival for patients who underwent abdominoperineal resections being 100 months, survival of anterior resections with straight anastomoses being 135 months, and survival of anterior resections with pouch anastomoses being 121 months (P = 0.33 by log-rank test). The independent factors for poor survival were age greater than 65 years, advanced tumor stage, tumor depth, and poorly differentiated tumors. Conclusion Both abdominoperineal resections and sphincter-preserving anterior resections can be performed safely with low morbidity and mortality in a specialized high-volume hospital unit without compromising oncologic outcomes. With appreciation of the anatomic relations in total mesorectal excision and standardized consistent surgical technique, the oncologic outcomes of patients treated by abdominoperineal resections are not worse than those treated by sphincter-preserving anterior resections. Reprints are not available.     

Aggressive preoperative management and extended surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma: Nagoya experience

From 1977 to 1997, surgical resection was possible in 142 (80%) of 177 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma after relieving jaundice by single or multiple percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage followed by percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy and/or percutaneous trans‐hepatic portal vein embolization. Curative resection was possible in 108 (61%) of the 142 patients, and 100 of these patients underwent various types of hepatectomy with caudate lobectomy for a 30‐day operative mortality rate of 6% and 9% hospital mortality. Combined portal vein resection was carried out in 43 cases including 41 hepatectomies and 2 bile duct resections. Hepatopancreatoduodenectomy was performed in 16 patients. Cancer recurrence was observed in 58 of the 108 patients undergoing curative resection. The 3‐, 5‐, and 10‐year survival rates for 100 patients undergoing curative hepatectomy and 8 with curative bile duct resection were 43%, 26%, and 19%; and 31%, 16%, and 0%, respectively; those for 40 patients with positive lymph node metastasis, 84 with perineural invasion, and 43 with combined portal vein resection were 27%, 14%, and 7%; 34%, 21%, and 13%; and 18%, 6%, and 0%, respectively. These survival rates are significantly better than those for 35 patients with unresectable cancer. Curative resection after aggressive preoperative management is recommended as a reasonable surgical approach to hilar cholangiocarcinoma.     

Preoperative diagnosis and management for hilar cholangiocarcinoma]

Liver resection with extrahepatic bile duct resection, wide lymph node dissection and caudate lobectomy has become the standard treatment for patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. More extended surgery, such as hepatopancreatoduodenectomy, combined portal vein and liver resection, has been accepted for treatment. Such aggressive resection could only offers better chance of long-term survival, but postoperative morbidity and mortality is still high. Various preoperative diagnostic and management modalities including PTBD, PTCS, angiography, MR angiography, MR cholangiography, DCT, CT angiography and PTPE are very important for optimal treatment and reduced mortality. It is recommended that surgeons, physicians, endoscopists, and radiologists, including interventional radiologists should perform the diagnosis and preoperative management of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma in a concerted way.     

Complete resection of the caudate lobe of the liver with tumor: technique and experience.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To study the technique and curative effects of complete resection of the caudate lobe of the liver with tumors. METHODOLOGY: There were 18 patients with tumors in the caudate lobe of the liver in this study. Among them, hepatocellular carcinoma was found in 12 patients, metastasis to the caudate lobe two years after resection of rectal carcinoma in one, cholangiocarcinoma in one, and huge benign tumor in four. Complete caudate lobectomy and combined with left lateral lobectomy or left hemihepatectomy or left trilobectomy were performed in this series. RESULTS: The median operating time was 227 min and median blood loss was 1590 mL, and the median blood transfusion was 1520 mL. No operative or postoperative mortality, or any postoperative complications were found in any of the patients. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of the 12 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were 58.3%, 55.5% and 37.8%, respectively. One patient with cholangiocarcinoma died in postoperative 4 months. One patient with metastatic rectal cancer has been alive for more than 5 years after the operation, and 4 patients with benign tumors are still alive and well. CONCLUSIONS: Complete resection of the caudate lobe of the liver should be the first choice for removal of huge tumors originating from the caudate lobe, although this procedure is quite difficult and has a high risk factor.     

Extended resections are beneficial for patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer

PURPOSE: Locally advanced colorectal cancer often requires extended resection to radically remove all tumor. This is the only chance for cure in these patients, but a higher complication rate would be expected. To evaluate the overall benefit for the patient, this study assesses morbidity and mortality as well as long-term survival of patients who underwent extended resection for a T3–T4 carcinoma. METHODS: Two hundred twenty patients with locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the colorectum were included. One hundred fifty presented with a T3 and 70 with a T4 tumor. Eighty-three patients underwent extended resection. In 38 patients extended en bloc resection was performed because of inflammatory adherence mimicking infiltration. Thirty-three patients who underwent extended resections were over 70 years of age. There were no significant differences between the groups that underwent extended or nonextended resections in age, sex, stage, or grading. RESULTS: pT4 lesions were significantly more frequent in the extended resection group than in the nonextended resection group. Mean survival was 44 months after extended resections and 45 months after nonextended resections. In the extended resection group there was no significant difference in mean survival between pT3 and pT4 stage patients within 46 and 38 months, respectively. In patients who underwent nonextended resections, however, there was a significant difference in mean survival within 48 months for pT3 and 28 for pT4 patients (P < 0.05). Postoperative morbidity and mortality were comparable between the extended resection group and the non-extended resection group. The presence of residual tumor influenced prognosis of patients significantly; RO resections fared significantly better than patients who underwent R1 or R2 resections (55 and 51 to 14/12 and 23/8 months) (P < 0.01). Nodal stage and International Union Against Cancer stage were also significant determinants of prognosis. After extended resections mean survival morbidity and 30-day mortality in patients more than 70 years was similar to those less than 70 years. CONCLUSION: Because extended resections can achieve comparable results in locally more advanced colorectal cancer as nonextended resections in less advanced cancer, an aggressive surgical approach is warranted.     

Outcome after repeat resection of liver metastases from colorectal cancer

Introduction

Although advances in multimodal treatment have led to prolongation of survival in patients after resection of colorectal liver metastasis (CRC-LM), most patients develop recurrence, which is often confined to the liver. Repeat hepatic resection (RHR) may prolong survival or even provide cure in selected patients. We evaluated the perioperative and long-term outcomes after RHR for CRC-LM in a single institution series.

Patients and methods

Since 1999, 92 repeat hepatic resections (63 % wedge/segmental, 37 % hemihepatectomy or greater) for recurrent CRC-LM were performed in 80 patients. Median interval from initial liver resection to first RHR was 1.25 years. Any kind of chemotherapy (CTx) had been given in 88 % before RHR. Neoadjuvant CTx was given in 38 %.

Results

Hepatic margin-negative resection was achieved in 79 %. Mortality was 3.8 %. Overall complication rates were 53 %, including infection (17 %), operative re-intervention (12 %), and hepatic failure (5.4 %). Overall 5-year survival after first RHR was 50.3 %. Univariately, primary tumor stage, the extent of liver resection, postoperative complications, and the overall resection margin correlated with survival. By multivariate analysis, primary T stage, size of metastasis, and overall R0 resection influenced survival. Survival was not independently influenced by hepatic resection margins or (neoadjuvant) CTx.

Conclusions

Repeat hepatic resection for recurrent CRC-LM can be performed with low mortality and acceptable morbidity. Survival after repeat hepatic resection in this selected group of patients is encouraging and comparable to results after first liver resections.