Clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a population-based study

We aimed to explore the clinicopathological features and survival-related factors for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Eligible data were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2015. Totally, 4595 ICC patients were collected with a male to female ratio of nearly 1:1. The higher proportion of ICC patients was elderly, tumor size ≥ 5 cm and advanced AJCC stage. Most patients (79.2%) have no surgery, while low proportion of patients receiving radiotherapy (15.1%). The median survival was 7.0 months (range 0–153 months). The 5-year CSS and OS rates were 8.96% and 7.90%. Multivariate analysis found that elderly age (aged ≥ 65 years old), male, diagnosis at 2008–2011, higher grade, tumor size ≥ 5 cm, and advanced AJCC stage were independent factors for poorer prognosis; while API/AI (American Indian/AK Native, Asian/Pacific Islander) race, married, chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy were independent favorable factors in both CSS and OS. Furthermore, stratified analysis found that chemotherapy and radiotherapy improved CSS and OS in patients without surgery. Age, sex, race, years of diagnosis, married status, grade, tumor size, AJCC stage, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy were significantly related to prognosis of ICC. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy could significantly improve survival in patients without surgery.