title: Long-term follow-up of surgically treated gallbladder cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Palliative attempts have traditionally led treatment of gallbladder cancer but resection offers the only chance for long-term survival. This study investigates the impact of surgery with curative intent in gallbladder cancer treatment and evaluates prognostic factors for survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and sixty-seven patients were admitted for surgical therapy. Sixty received resection with curative intent and form the basis of this analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  R0 resection (n=45) was a highly significant independent survival predictor (P<0.001). All 5-year survivors (n=10) had tumour-free resection margins. Early T stage (P=0.017) and highly differentiated cancer (P=0.008) had a significant better outcome. Nodal spreading increased by local tumour extension and lymphatic involvement decreased patient survival (P=0.018). Patients' age (>75 years) was without influence on long-term survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term survival is possible both in elderly patients and in advanced cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Puhalla
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bareck
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pokorny
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ploner
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soliman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stremitzer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Depisch
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laengle
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gruenberger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001317:Austria; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome