Clinicopathologic features and prognosis of combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: Clinicopathologic features and prognosis of combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (HCC-CC) have not been established. METHODS: Data of patients who underwent surgical resection for HCC-CC were compared with those of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CC) patients. RESULTS: The prevalence of hepatitis B positivity (54.0%) and that of cirrhosis (54.2%) in the HCC-CC group were of intermediate tendency between the HCC group and the CC group. The HCC-CC group presented with a higher prevalence of multiplicity and microvascular emboli and portal vein or hepatic vein invasion, but a lower prevalence of capsular formation compared with the other groups. One- and 3-year survival rates in the HCC-CC group (81.9% and 47.0%, respectively) were lower than those in the HCC group and higher than those in the CC group. The cumulative recurrence rates at 6 months and at 1 year in the HCC-CC group (25.0% and 33.3%, respectively) were higher than those in the HCC group and lower than those in the CC group. CONCLUSIONS: The HCC-CC group has distinct clinicopathologic features compared with the HCC or CC groups. In addition, the HCC-CC group has a prognosis that is better than the CC group but worse than the HCC group.