title: Adjuvant therapy for resected extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a review of the literature and future directions.
abstract: Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare neoplasm originating from the intra- or extrahepatic bile duct epithelium. Incidence has been increasing worldwide in the last three decades. Complete surgical resection provides the only possibility of cure, but even with resection 5-yr survival can be as low as 11%. Adjuvant therapy has the potential to play a crucial role in prolonging survival and local control. Retrospective series have suggested benefit to adjuvant radiation, chemotherapy or concurrent chemo-radiation. The scarce prospective data has not shown a survival benefit to adjuvant therapy. In this article we review and summarize the published data regarding adjuvant therapy for resected extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Prospective, multi-institutional randomized trials are needed to clarify the role of adjuvant therapy in this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. carryn-anderson@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Carryn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017734:Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic; D001662:Biliary Tract Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome