Is combined extra-hepatic bile-duct resection justified for advanced gallbladder carcinoma?

BACKGROUND: Whether the extra-hepatic bile duct (EHBD) should be routinely resected for gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) remains controversial. The current study aimed to determine the clinical impact of combined EHBD resection during curative surgery for advanced GBC. METHODS: In total, 213 patients who underwent curative surgery for T2, T3 or T4 GBC were enrolled. The clinicopathological features were compared between the patients treated with EHBD resection and those without EHBD resection. Meanwhile, univariable and multivariable Cox-proportional hazards regression models were used to identify risk factors for overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Among the 213 patients identified, 87 (40.8%) underwent combined EHBD resection. Compared with patients without EHBD resection, patients with EHBD resection suffered more post-operative complications (33.3% vs. 21.4%, P = 0.046). However, the median OS of the EHBD resection group was longer than that of the non-EHBD resection group (25 vs. 11 months, P = 0.008). Subgroup analyses were also performed according to tumor (T) category and lymph-node metastasis. The median OS was significantly longer in the EHBD resection group than in the non-EHBD resection group for patients with T3 lesion (15 vs. 7 months, P = 0.002), T4 lesion (11 vs. 6 months, P = 0.021) or lymph-node metastasis (12 vs. 7 months, P < 0.001). No survival benefit of EHBD resection was observed in GBC patients with T2 lesion or without lymph-node metastasis. T category, lymph-node metastasis, margin status, pre-operative CA19-9 level and EHBD resection were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS of patients with advanced GBC (all P values <0.05). Conclusions EHBD resection can independently affect the OS in advanced GBC. For GBC patients with T3 lesion, T4 lesion and lymph-node metastasis, combined EHBD resection is justified and may improve OS.