Clinical and pathological features of Allen's type C classification of resected combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma: a comparative study with hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocellular carcinoma

J Gastrointest Surg. 2006 Jul-Aug;10(7):987-98. doi: 10.1016/j.gassur.2006.01.018.

Abstract

The clinical features of Allen's type C of combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) are not well known. In this study, we aim to define the clinicopathologic features of cHCC-CC and to evaluate the preoperative diagnosis and surgical treatment results in comparison with those of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC). We retrospectively analyzed 13 patients with cHCC-CC, 509 patients with HCC, and 41 patients with CCC treated in our hospital within past two decades. Viral hepatitis B or C backgrounds were more prominent in HCC and cHCC-CC groups than in the CCC group. Elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were found in 60.3% of HCC patients and in 46.2% of cHCC-CC patients. Only one patient of cHCC-CC was correctly diagnosed before surgery. The postoperative survival rates between the cHCC-CC and HCC or the CCC group were not significantly different. Both intrahepatic and extrahepatic postoperative recurrences were frequent in cHCC-CC patients, and CCC component recurrences were more frequently seen. In conclusion, the preoperative diagnosis is difficult; liver masses similar to those of HCC, together with moderately elevated serum AFP and CA19-9 levels, are reliable indicators of cHCC-CC. Surgical resection of this tumor yields results intermediate between those of HCC and CCC in character. More cases are needed to further define the characteristics of this tumor.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bile Duct Neoplasms / classification
  • Bile Duct Neoplasms / mortality
  • Bile Duct Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Bile Duct Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / classification
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / surgery*
  • Cholangiocarcinoma / classification
  • Cholangiocarcinoma / mortality
  • Cholangiocarcinoma / pathology*
  • Cholangiocarcinoma / surgery*
  • Female
  • Hepatectomy
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Liver Neoplasms / classification
  • Liver Neoplasms / mortality
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Liver Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / classification
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / mortality
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / pathology*
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / surgery*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate