Strict Selection Alone of Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation for Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma Is Associated with Improved Survival.
Liver transplantation for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (hCCA) has regained attention since the Mayo Clinic reported their favorable results with the use of a neo-adjuvant chemoradiation protocol. However, debate remains whether the success of the protocol should be attributed to the neo-adjuvant therapy or to the strict selection criteria that are being applied. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of patient selection alone on the outcome of liver transplantation for hCCA. In this retrospective study, patients that were transplanted for hCCA between1990 and 2010 in Europe were identified using the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR). Twenty-one centers reported 173 patients (69%) of a total of 249 patients in the ELTR. Twenty-six patients were wrongly coded, resulting in a study group of 147 patients. We identified 28 patients (19%) who met the strict selection criteria of the Mayo Clinic protocol, but had not undergone neo-adjuvant chemoradiation therapy. Five-year survival in this subgroup was 59%, which is comparable to patients with pretreatment pathological confirmed hCCA that were transplanted after completion of the chemoradiation protocol at the Mayo Clinic. In conclusion, although the results should be cautiously interpreted, this study suggests that with strict selection alone, improved survival after transplantation can be achieved, approaching the Mayo Clinic experience.
Department of Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Hendrik T J
HT
Mantel
Department of Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Andrie C
AC
Westerkamp
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Hôpital Paul Brousse, University of Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France.
René
R
Adam
Transplant Institute, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
William F
WF
Bennet
Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Charité Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany.
Daniel
D
Seehofer
Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, University of Jena, Jena, Germany.
Utz
U
Settmacher
Department of Surgery and Liver and Pancreas Transplantation, Virgen de la Arrixaca Clinic and University Hospital, Murcia, Spain.
Francisco
F
Sánchez-Bueno
Department of Hepato-Pancreatico- Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University Hospital de Bellvitge, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Joan
J
Fabregat Prous
Department of Digestive Surgery and Transplantation, Lille University Medical Center, University of Lille Nord de France, Lille, France.
Emmanuel
E
Boleslawski
Transplant Institute, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Styrbjörn
S
Friman
Department of Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Robert J
RJ
Porte
D000328:Adult; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018285:Klatskin Tumor / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D012042:Registries; D015996:Survival Rate