• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.104-107
• /
• 2013

Gallbladder (GB) cancer is highly malignant neoplasm found in advanced stage and chemotherapy commonly plays a palliative role in GB cancer. We report a case of unresectable GB cancer treated with chemotherapy followed by extended cholecystectomy. Fifty-six-year-old male visited our hospital with weight loss and dyspnea on exertion. Computed tomography detected pulmonary embolism and diffuse GB wall thickening with para-aortic lymph node enlargement. The length of common channel was 23mm at magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography which stands for anomalous union of the pancreaticobiliary duct. Anticoagulation was started for pulmonary embolism. GB wall mass was regarded as unresectable GB cancer with distant lymph node metastasis. Gemcitabine and cisplatin combination chemotherapy was carried out for 6 cycles. Primary tumor was stationary but multiple enlarged lymphnodes were almost completely disappeared. Extended cholecystectomy with hepaticojejunostomy was performed. Post-operative tumor stage was T3N1 (stage IIIB) and R0 resection was achieved. After operation he has no evidence of disease recurrence for 6 months.

• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.63-69
• /
• 2023

Methods: Patients who underwent cholecystectomy were classified into two groups according to their GBWT status (GBWT+ vs. GBWT-). Results: Among 1,211 patients who underwent cholecystectomy, GBWT+ was seen in 177 (14.6%). The GBWT+ group was significantly older with more males, higher ASA score, higher alkaline phosphatase level, higher international normalized ratio, and lower albumin level than the GBWT- group. On ultrasound, GBWT+ patients had larger stone size, more pericholecystic fluid, more common bile duct stone, and more biliary pancreatitis. Compared with the GBWT- group, the GBWT+ group had more urgent surgeries (12.4% vs. 3.2%, p = 0.001), higher conversion rate (4.5% vs. 0.3%, p = 0.001), prolonged operative time (67 ± 38 vs. 54 ± 29 min; p = 0.001), more bleeding (3.4% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.002), and more need of drain (21.5% vs. 10.5%, p = 0.001). By multivariate analysis, factors associated with increased length of hospital stay were GBWT+ (HR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.19-3.25, p = 0.008), urgent surgery (HR: 10.2, 95% CI: 4.07-25.92, p = 0.001), prolonged surgery (HR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.0-1.02, p = 0.001), and postoperative drain (HR: 11.3, 95% CI: 6.40-20.0, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Variables such as GBWT ≥ 5 mm, urgent prolonged operation, and postoperative drains are independent predictors of extended hospital stay. GBWT+ patients are twice likely to stay in hospital for more than 72 hours and more prone to develop complications than GBWT- patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.2137-2140
• /
• 2016

Background: Gall bladder cancer (GBC) usually presents as unresectable or metastatic disease. We conducted a feasibility study to evaluate the effect of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) on radiologic downstaging and resectability in unresectable GBC cases. Materials and Methods: Patients with locally advanced disease were treated with chemoradiotherapy [CTRT] ( external radiotherapy (45Gy) along with weekly concurrent cisplatin $35mg/m^2$ and 5-FU 500 mg) and those with positive paraaortic nodes were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy [NACT (cisplatin $25mg/m^2$ and gemcitabine $1gm/m^2$ day 1 and 8, 3 weekly for 3 cycles). Radiological assessment was according to RECIST criteria by evaluating downstaging of liver involvement and lymphadenopathy into complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD). Results: A total of 40 patients were evaluated from January 2012 to December 2014 (CTRT=25, NACT=15). Pretreatment CT scans revealed involvement of hilum (19), liver infiltration (38), duodenum involvement (n=22), colon involvement (n=11), N1 involvement (n=11), N2 disease (n=8), paraaortic LN (n=15), and no lymphadenopathy (n=6). After neoadjuvant therapy, liver involvement showed CR in 11(30%), PR in 4 (10.5%), SD in 15 (39.4%) and lymph node involvement showed CR in 17 (50%), PR in 6 (17.6%), SD in 4 (11.7 %). Six patients (CTRT=2, NACT=4) with 66.6 % and 83% downstaging of liver and lymphnodes respectively underwent extended cholecystectomy. There was 16.6 % and 83.3% rates of histopathological CR of liver and lymph nodes. All resections were R0. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant therapy in unresectable gall bladder cancer results in a 15% resectability rate. This approach has a strong potential in achieving R0 and node negative disease. Radiologic downstaging (CR+PR) of liver involvement is 40.5% and lymphadenopathy is 67.5%. Nodal regression could serve as a predictor of response to neoadjuvant therapy.