Adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after curative surgery: retrospective control study.

BACKGROUND: Effects of adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) radical surgery have never been evaluated.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 125 ICC patients who had undergone operations with curative intent in Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital from July 2002 to December 2003. Of these patients, 53 underwent adjuvant TACE (TACE group) and 72 did not (non-TACE group). Adjuvant TACE was performed one time 1.5-2.0 months after the operation.

RESULTS: Follow-up was performed at a median of 18 months (range 3-96 months). There was no significant recurrence-free survival (RFS) difference between the TACE and non-TACE groups (P = 0.659). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 69.8, 37.7, and 28.3%, respectively, for the TACE group and 54.2, 25.0, and 20.8%, respectively, for the non-TACE group (P = 0.045). Among 54 patients with a recurrence time of ≤ 3 months, the OS rate of the TACE group was better than that of the non-TACE group (P < 0.001). For 59 patients with a recurrence time later than the median RFS, no significant RFS difference was found between the TACE and non-TACE groups (P = 0.681). These results indicate that TACE could not delay recurrence but could prolong the OS of patients with early recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant TACE after radical surgery was associated with better survival among the ICC patients with early recurrence.