[Current management and prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in France].
BACKGROUND
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a rare tumor with a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate current management and prognosis of ICC in nine French administrative areas, which are covered by population-based cancer registries.


METHODS
Between 1997 and 1998, 1100 cases of primary liver cancer were observed in nine French departments: 68 were ICC. Clinicopathological characteristics and applied treatments were recorded and a comparative analysis and a 5-year survival study were performed.


RESULTS
In most cases (85%), the presence of symptoms was the principal mode of discovery. Histological confirmation revealed ICC in two thirds of cases. The remaining liver was normal in 72% of cases (patients with cirrhosis: 12%). The mean size of tumours was 6 cm. Metastases were present in one out of four cases. Surgical management, chemotherapy and radiotherapy were performed in 40%, 20% and 11.5% of patients, respectively. Hepatic surgical resection was correlated with age and bilirubin level. One third of the patients were treated for symptoms. Five-year survival rate was 7.4% and median survival was 7 months. Patients with hepatic surgical resection had 5-year survival rate of 24.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
At present, complete resection is the only therapy offering possible long-term survival in this entity. New adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery must be offered to these patients.
Borie
F
F
Registre des tumeurs de l'Hérault, centre de recherche, 208, rue des Apothicaires, 34298 Montpellier cedex 5, France. frederic.borie@chu-nimes.fr
Niampa
H
H
Bouvier
A-M
AM
Faivre
J
J
Launoy
G
G
Delafosse
P
P
Velten
M
M
Buemi
A
A
Peng
J
J
Grosclaude
P
P
Trétarre
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012042:Registries; D016019:Survival Analysis