Clinicopathological features of cholangiolocarcinoma and impact of tumor heterogeneity on prognosis: A single institution retrospective study

Sugita,Hiroaki; Nakanuma,Shinichi; Gabata,Ryosuke; Tokoro,Tomokazu; Takei,Ryohei; Okazaki,Mitsuyoshi; Kato,Kaichiro; Takada,Satoshi; Makino,Isamu; Kozaka,Kazuto; Harada,Kenichi; Yagi,Shintaro

doi:10.3892/ol.2024.14346

Clinicopathological features of cholangiolocarcinoma and impact of tumor heterogeneity on prognosis: A single institution retrospective study

Authors:
- Hiroaki Sugita
- Shinichi Nakanuma
- Ryosuke Gabata
- Tomokazu Tokoro
- Ryohei Takei
- Mitsuyoshi Okazaki
- Kaichiro Kato
- Satoshi Takada
- Isamu Makino
- Kazuto Kozaka
- Kenichi Harada
- Shintaro Yagi
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Affiliations: Department of Hepato‑Biliary‑Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920‑8641, Japan, Department of Radiology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920‑8641, Japan, Department of Human Pathology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920‑8640, Japan
Published online on: March 15, 2024 https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2024.14346
Article Number: 213
Copyright: © Sugita et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Cholangiolocarcinoma (CLC) is an extremely rare tumor classified as a subtype of small duct‑type intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). There are few detailed reports on CLC and the prognostic impact of tumor heterogeneity is not clear. Between April 2006 and June 2022, of the 774 primary liver cancer resection cases who presented at Kanazawa University Hospital, 14 patients were pathologically diagnosed with CLC through immunohistochemical analysis of their molecular and biological features. Clinicopathological features and prognoses were evaluated retrospectively. Additionally, tumor heterogeneity was assessed and tumors were classified into pure and partial types according to the CLC component proportion in a single tumor. Chronic liver disease was observed in nine patients (64.3%). All tumors were mass‑forming, and pathological R0 resection was achieved in 11 patients (78.6%). Tumor heterogeneity was classified as pure in 11 (78.6%) and partial in three (21.4%) patients. The median follow‑up was 59.5 months (12‑114 months). There was no difference in the 5‑year disease‑specific survival rates between the pure and partial (90.0% vs. 100.0%; P=0.200) types, but rates were significantly higher in the R0 resection group compared with those in the R1 resection group (100.0% vs. 50.0%; P=0.025). In conclusion, these results suggest that it is important for CLC patients to achieve curative resection, and CLC may have a good prognosis regardless of the proportion of CLC components in a single tumor.

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