[The value of orthotopic liver transplantation in the treatment of Klatskin tumor].
OBJECTIVE
To document the indication and value of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for the patient with Klatskin tumor.


METHODS
Forty patients of Klatskin tumors, including 5 patients with liver transplantation (LTx) and 35 without LTx (WLTx) from Jan 1992 to Dec 2003 were enrolled for analysis retrospectively. The TNM stages were comparable in both groups. In LTx group, 4 patients were Klatskin tumor including 1 recurrence 5 months later after resection, and 1 cancerization from Caroli's disease. Biliary duct anastomosis was performed by Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy in two, end-to-end choledochocholedochostomy in 3 cases.


RESULTS
In LTx group, the total resection rate and radical resection rate were both 100%. Four cases survived for 48, 38, 21 and 5 months, respectively, except that the other one died from bile leakage at the 40th day after transplantation. All 4 survivors had good life quality without tumor in local or distant site, even though 3 of 4 cases developed biliary stricture, which was cured by radiological intervention therapy. The overall 1, 3-year survival rates were both 4/5 in LTx. The total resection rate and radical resection rate in the WLTx group were 63.0% (17/27) and 40.7% (11/27) and, the 1, 3, 5-year survival rates were 32.2%, 8.0% and 0, respectively. There was significant difference between the two groups in radical resection rate and survival rate (P = 0.016). In the routine radical resection group, the 1, 3-year survival rates were 54.5% (6/11) and 18.% (2/11), which were not significantly different from those in LTx.


CONCLUSIONS
OLT is a good choice for the patients with advanced stage of unresectable Klatskin tumor by routine modalities, and the prognosis was exciting.
Liang
Ting-bo
TB
Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Center of Organ Transplantation, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China.
Zheng
Shu-sen
SS
Shi
Qian-feng
QF
Wang
Wei-lin
WL
Shen
Yan
Y
Zhang
Min
M
Yu
Jun
J
Chen
Wen-bin
WB
D000328:Adult; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006500:Hepatic Duct, Common / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D018285:Klatskin Tumor / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous