Background: This study aimed to analyze the postoperative outcomes for patients with recurrent intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and to determine the prognostic factors. In addition, this study investigated the effects of various treatment methods for patients with recurrent ICC.
Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the postoperative outcomes and prognostic factors of recurrent ICC that occurred for 81 of 128 patients who underwent hepatic resection for ICC between April 2001 and April 2013. In addition, the outcomes for a number of treatment methods were assessed for patients with recurrent ICC.
Results: After resection, the 128 patients with ICC had survival rates of 73 % at 1 year, 52 % at 3 years, and 43 % at 5 years. Recurrent ICC developed in 81 patients (56 men and 25 women) with a median age of 63 years. The median time from initial resection to recurrence was 9 months (range, 0-124 months), and the median survival time after recurrence was 8 months (range, 0-108 months). After recurrence, the overall survival rates were 47 % at 1 year, 23 % at 3 years, and 15 % at 5 years. Multivariate analysis showed disease-free survival time shorter than 1 year and bile duct invasion to be significant prognostic factors. Among the treatment methods, local management such as surgery, transarterial chemoembolization, and radiofrequency ablation were effective in select cases with localized intrahepatic and extrahepatic recurrence.
Conclusion: Active local treatment (i.e., surgery, transarterial chemoembolization [TACE], and radiofrequency ablation [RFA]) may improve survival for patients with localized ICC recurrence.