title: Invasion Depth Measured in Millimeters is a Predictor of Survival in Patients with Distal Bile Duct Cancer: Decision Tree Approach.
abstract: AJCC staging system is unreliable for predicting survival in distal bile duct (DBD) cancer patients, due to inter-observer variation. Measured depth of invasion (DOI) is suggested to be more accurate to predict patients' clinical outcome in extra-hepatic cholangiocarcinomas, but its significance in DBD cancer and cutoff values are still debatable. This study aimed to identify the optimal cutoff value of DOI in relation to prognosis in DBD cancer patients.
  
  
  
  Data of 179 patients with DBD adenocarcinoma treated in three institutions were investigated. Under microscopic review, DOI was measured. The relationships between the clinicopathological parameters and the groups based on DOI (≤3; 3-10; >10 mm) were evaluated, and the survival times of each group based on DOI and T classification were compared.
  
  
  
  Deeply invading tumors exhibited a greater tendency toward the infiltrative type, high histological grade, AJCC stage, and pancreatic, duodenal, lymphovascular and perineural invasion. The measured DOI was significantly correlated with worse relapse-free and overall survival (all p < 0.05). In multivariate analyses, the DOI remained as one of the prognostic factors (all p < 0.05), while T classification was not a significant prognostic factor. The new prognostic models (low, intermediate, and high risk) that applied DOI and nodal metastasis showed significant difference in recurrence and survival rate (all p < 0.05).
  
  
  
  On the basis of the proposed cutoff value, the DOI could be clear and meaningful, overcoming the vagueness of the T classification for predicting clinical outcomes in patients with DBD carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 153, Gyeongchun-ro, Guri, Gyeonggi-do, 11923, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyueng-Whan
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 29 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul, 03181, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, 68 Hangeulbiseok-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01830, Republic of Korea. sbk1026@eulji.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Byoung Kwan
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, 68 Hangeulbiseok-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01830, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Bong
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, 68 Hangeulbiseok-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01830, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, 68 Hangeulbiseok-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01830, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yun Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, 68 Hangeulbiseok-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01830, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Sook
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jinwon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 153, Gyeongchun-ro, Guri, Gyeonggi-do, 11923, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Ha
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sukjoong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Kee
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Rim
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jang Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hong Il
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D003663:Decision Trees; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies