Introduction: Surgery alone shows an insufficient result for distal cholangiocarcinoma, and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is commonly used. However, no definite opinion has yet been accepted.
Subjects and methods: A group of 46 patients who underwent surgery for distal bile duct cancer and who received adjuvant chemotherapy including gemcitabine (GEM)(Group A)and surgery alone group(Group S)were compared for disease-free survival(DFS)and overall survival (OS).
Results: Although the median DFS was 718 days in Group A and 367 days in Group S(p=0.306)and the median OS was 1,171 days in Group A and 859 days in Group S(p=0.07), no significant difference was observed; however, the prognosis improved.
Conclusion: Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy may improve prognosis.