Long-term follow-up of surgically treated gallbladder cancer patients.
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.
Puhalla
H
H
Department of General Surgery, University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
Wild
T
T
Bareck
E
E
Pokorny
H
H
Ploner
M
M
Soliman
T
T
Stremitzer
S
S
Depisch
D
D
Laengle
F
F
Gruenberger
T
T
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