Intensive Follow-Up Program and Oncological Outcomes of Biliary Tract Cancer Patients after Curative-Intent Surgery: A Twenty-Year Experience in a Single Tertiary Medical Center

Abstract

Aim. The aim of this research was to assess the impact of an intensive follow-up program on BTC patients who had received surgery with curative intent at a tertiary referral hospital. Methods. BTC patients were followed-up every three months during the first two years after their first surgery and every six months from the third to the fifth post-operative year. Results. A total of 278 BTC patients who received R0/R1 surgery were included. A total of 17.7% of patients underwent a second surgery following disease relapse, and none of these patients experienced additional disease relapse. Conclusions. An intensive follow-up after surgical resection may help in the early identification of disease relapse, leading to early treatment and prolonged survival in selected cases.

Keywords

• biliary tract cancer
• cholangiocarcinoma
• follow-up
• recurrence
• surveillance