Clinicopathologic characteristics of hepatitis C virus-associated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a possible pathogenetic factor for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), clinicopathologic features of ICC patients with HCV infection remain unclear.


METHODS
Of 50 patients with ICC treated, 19 were infected with HCV (HCV-positive group) and 38 underwent surgical treatment. Clinicopathologic features and postoperative outcome were compared between patients with and without HCV infection.


RESULTS
In 15 patients in the HCV-positive group, ICC was detected during follow-up for chronic hepatitis C. The proportion of patients who underwent curative resection was significantly higher in the HCV-positive than in the HCV-negative group, and tumors were significantly smaller in the HCV-positive than in the HCV-negative group. In the HCV-positive group, tumors were significantly smaller in patients who were followed up for chronic hepatitis C than in patients who were not followed up. Although cumulative survival rates did not differ significantly between groups, prognoses of patients with small ICC were significantly better than those with large ICC.


CONCLUSIONS
Follow-up for patients with chronic hepatitis C by imaging series at regular intervals is important and provides the possibility to detect a small ICC as well as a hepatocellular carcinoma. Resection should be guided by liver function and the tumor stage in patients with HCV-associated ICC.
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. m4011498@msic.med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
Seikan
S
Hai
Shoji
S
Kubo
Satoshi
S
Yamamoto
Takahiro
T
Uenishi
Hiromu
H
Tanaka
Taichi
T
Shuto
Shigekazu
S
Takemura
Osamu
O
Yamazaki
Kazuhiro
K
Hirohashi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis