World Journal of Surgical Oncology (Sep 2023)
Gallbladder cancer mimicking perihilar cholangiocarcinoma—considerable rate of postoperative reclassification with implications for prognosis
Abstract
Abstract Background For some patients undergoing resection under the suspicion of a perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA), postoperative diagnosis may differ from the preoperative diagnosis. While a postoperative finding of benign bile duct stricture is known to affect 3–15% of patients, less has been described about the consequences of finding other biliary tract cancers postoperatively. This study compared pre- and postoperative diagnoses, risk characteristics, and outcomes after surgery for suspected pCCA. Methods Retrospective single-center study, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden (January 2009–May 2017). The primary postoperative outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcomes were disease-free survival and postoperative complications. Survival analysis was performed by the Kaplan–Meier method. Results Seventy-one patients underwent resection for suspected pCCA. pCCA was confirmed in 48 patients (68%). Ten patients had benign lesions (14%), 2 (3%) were diagnosed with other types of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA, distal n = 1, intrahepatic n = 1), while 11 (15%) were diagnosed with gallbladder cancer (GBC). GBC patients were older than patients with pCCA (median age 71 versus 58 years, p = 0.015), with a large proportion of patients with a high tumor extension stage (≥ T3, 91%). Median overall survival was 20 months (95% CI 15–25 months) for patients with pCCA and 17 months (95% CI 11–23 months) for patients with GBC (p = 0.135). Patients with GBC had significantly shorter median disease-free survival (DFS), 10 months (95% CI 3–17 months) compared 17 months (95% CI 15–19 months) for patients with pCCA (p = 0.010). Conclusions At a large tertiary referral center, 15% of patients resected for suspected pCCA were postoperatively diagnosed with GBC. Compared to patients with pCCA, GBC patients were older, with advanced tumors and shorter DFS. The considerable rate of re-classification stresses the need for improved preoperative staging, as these prognostic differences could have implications for treatment strategies.
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