Background This study aimed to define the role of combined major hepatectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy in the surgical management of biliary carcinoma and to identify potential candidates for this aggressive procedure.
Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 28 patients who underwent a combined major hepatectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (n = 17) or gallbladder carcinoma (n = 11). Major hepatectomy was defined as hemihepatectomy or more extensive hepatectomy. Altogether, 11 patients underwent a Whipple procedure, and 17 had a pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. The median follow-up time was 169 months.
Results Morbidity and in-hospital mortality were 82% and 21%, respectively. Overall cumulative survival rates after resection were 32% at 2 years and 11% at 5 years (median survival time 9 months). The median survival time was 6 months with a 2-year survival rate of 0% in 11 patients with residual tumor, whereas the median survival time was 26 months with a 5-year survival rate of 18% in 17 patients with no residual tumor (P = 0.0012). Residual tumor status was the only independent prognostic factor of significance (relative risk 4.65; P = 0.003). There were three 5-year survivors (two with diffuse cholangiocarcinoma and one with gallbladder carcinoma with no bile duct involvement) among the patients with no residual tumor.
Conclusions Combined major hepatectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy provides survival benefit for some patients with locally advanced biliary carcinoma only if potentially curative (R0) resection is feasible. Patients with diffuse cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma with no bile duct involvement are potential candidates for this aggressive procedure.