Clinicopathologic evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma with bile duct thrombi.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and bile duct thrombi (BDT).

PATIENTS

Seventeen patients with HCC and BDT among 671 patients with HCC who underwent hepatic resection were enrolled in this study.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in the survival rates between patients with and those without BDT, although the rate of stage IV or portal vein invasion was significantly higher in patients with HCC and BDT than in those with HCC but without BDT. In 9 of 17 patients with BDT, preoperative jaundice was observed. Five of the 17 patients underwent a bile duct resection combined with hepatic resection, and 12 patients underwent hepatic resection with removal of the BDT without bile duct resection. None of the patients had histopathologic evidence of direct tumor invasion into the bile duct wall or of any tumor recurrence related to the BDT. There were no significant differences in the survival rates between patients who underwent bile duct resection and those who did not.

CONCLUSION

Hepatic resection and the removal of BDT without bile duct resection were sufficient surgical interventions to treat patients with HCC and BDT.