Cholangiocarcinoma: a 7-year experience at a single center in Greece.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate survival rate and clinical outcome of cholangiocarcinoma.


METHODS
The medical records of 34 patients with cholangiocarcinoma, seen at a single hospital between the years 1999-2006, were retrospectively reviewed.


RESULTS
Thirty-four patients with a median age of 75 years were included. Seventeen (50%) had painless jaundice at presentation. Sixteen (47.1%) were perihilar, 15 (44.1%) extrahepatic and three (8.8%) intrahepatic. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP) and/or magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRCP) were used for the diagnosis. Pathologic confirmation was obtained in seven and positive cytological examination in three. Thirteen patients had co-morbidities (38.2%). Four cases were managed with complete surgical resection. All the rest of the cases (30) were characterized as non-resectable due to advanced stage of the disease. Palliative biliary drainage was performed in 26/30 (86.6%). The mean follow-up was 32 mo (95% CI, 20-43 mo). Overall median survival was 8.7 mo (95% CI, 2-16 mo). The probability of 1-year, 2-year and 3-year survival was 46%, 20% and 7%, respectively. The survival was slightly longer in patients who underwent resection compared to those who did not, but this difference failed to reach statistical significance. Patients who underwent biliary drainage had an advantage in survival compared to those who did not (probability of survival 53% vs 0% at 1 year, respectively, P = 0.038).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with cholangiocarcinoma were usually elderly with co-morbidities and/or advanced disease at presentation. Even though a slight amelioration in survival with palliative biliary drainage was observed, patients had dismal outcome without resection of the tumor.
Alexopoulou
Alexandra
A
2nd Department of Medicine, University of Athens Medical School, Hippokration General Hospital, 40 Konstantinoupoleos St, Hilioupolis, Athens 16342, Greece. alexopou@ath.forthnet.gr
Soultati
Aspasia
A
Dourakis
Spyros-P
SP
Vasilieva
Larissa
L
Archimandritis
Athanasios-J
AJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001662:Biliary Tract Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010166:Palliative Care; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome