ObjectiveTo explore the advantages and disadvantages of preoperative biliary drainage, the timing of preoperative biliary drainage, and the characteristics of various drainage methods for resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma.MethodsBy reviewing relevant literatures at home and abroad in the past 20 years, the controversies related to the preoperative biliary drainage, surgical biliary drainage, and various drainage methods for resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma were reviewed.ResultsThere is still a great deal of controversy about whether preoperative bile duct drainage is required for resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma routinely, but there is a consensus on the timing of preoperative biliary drainage, and various drainage methods have their own characteristics.ConclusionsThe main treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma is radical surgical resection, but cholestasis is often caused by malignant biliary obstruction, which makes it difficult to manage perioperatively. A large number of prospective studies are needed to provide more evidence for the need for routine preoperative biliary drainage in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma who can undergo resection.
ObjectiveTo explore the value of magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in preoperative Bismuth-Corlette classification of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA). MethodsA total of 53 HCCA patients confirmed by postoperative pathology were retrospectively included. The accuracy of two sequence combinations, namely dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) + magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and DCE-MRI + MRCP + DWI, in evaluating the longitudinally involved bile duct segments and Bismuth-Corlette classification of HCCA was compared. Additionally, the correlation between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and tumor Bismuth-Corlette classification as well as degree of differentiation was analyzed. ResultsThere were 318 bile duct segments in 53 HCCA patients. The accuracy rate of DCE-MRI + MRCP was 93.7% (298/318), the sensitivity was 91.5% (161/176), and the specificity was 96.5% (137/142). The accuracy rate of DCE-MRI + MRCP + DWI was 96.5% (307/318), the sensitivity was 96.0% (169/176), and the specificity was 97.2% (138/142). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of DCE-MRI + MRCP + DWI was 0.966 [95%CI (0.940, 0.983), P＜0.001], and its diagnostic efficacy was superior to that of DCE-MRI + MRCP [AUC=0.940, 95%CI (0.908, 0.963), P＜0.001]. The DeLong test indicated a statistically significant difference in AUC between the two sequences (Z=2.633, P＜0.01). The accuracy rates of preoperative Bismuth-Corlette classification of HCCA evaluated by DCE-MRI + MRCP and DCE-MRI + MRCP + DWI were 86.8% (46/53) and 94.3% (50/53), respectively. After adding the DWI sequence, the consistency between Bismuth-Corlette classification results and surgical pathological classification results (Kappa=0.922, P<0.001) was higher than that of DCE-MRI + MRCP sequence (Kappa=0.820, P<0.001), with a statistically significant difference (χ2=160.370, P<0.001). In addition, the ADC value of HCCA was negatively correlated with tumordegree of differentiation (rs=–0.524, P<0.001), but had no significant correlation with its Bismuth-Corlette classification (rs=–0.058, P=0.682). ConclusionsDCE-MRI + MRCP + DWI sequence can effectively improve the accuracy in preoperative evaluation of the involvement of bile duct segments and Bismuth-Corlette classification of HCCA, which provides guidance for precise preoperative surgical planning in clinical practice. In addition, the ADC value can provide additional information required for non-invasive preoperative prediction of the prognosis of HCCA patients.
Objective To explore application value of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in treatment of unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Method The literatures about PDT in the treatment of the unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma in the PubMed, MedLine, Embase, CNKI, and Wanfang databases were reviewed. Results The PDT combined with stent or chemotherapy was the main method in the treatment of the unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma, which could make the tumor down-staging, obviously reduce the jaundice, improve the quality of life, improve the survival rate, prolong the stent patency and be treated repeatedly. Especially, it was suitable for the patients with elderly, poor health, intolerance of surgery, could partly replace the R1 or R2 operation of hilar cholangiocarcinoma and avoid the risk of surgery and postoperative complications. The therapeutic effective of the PDT was related to the early therapy and times of therapy. However, the shortcomes of the PDT were that the depth of killing tumor was not enough and there was a certain incidence of adverse reaction. Conclusions Therapeutic effect of PDT combine with stent or chemotherapy for unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma is better than that of single therapy. It is expected to be a first-line scheme of palliative treatment for unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma.
Objective To summarize the progress in diagnosis and treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma at present. Methods The literatures about diagnosis and treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma at home and aboard were collected to make an review. Results The diagnosis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma mainly depended on serum tumor molecular markers and imaging examinations. Preoperative excision and prognostic evaluation were required, including tumor classification and staging, preoperative yellow reduction, residual liver volume assessment, and so on. Radical resection was the first choice, as well as liver transplantation, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and photodynamic therapy could be selected according to the patient’s condition. Conclusions The appearance of new diagnosis and treatment technology promotes the clinical development of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The integrated diagnosis and treatment mode, which is based on surgery, will become the inevitable direction of the development of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.