Nine-Year survivor after resection of cholangiocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombi in the main portal trunk

Abstract

We report a patient with cholangiocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombi in the main portal trunk who has survived for 9.5 years after hepatic resection. A 57-year-old woman underwent an extended left lobectomy, and resection of the caudate lobe plus the main portal trunk for a liver tumor that had a portal tumor thrombus in the main portal trunk. The portal vein was reconstructed with an autologous vein graft obtained from the external iliac vein. Histological examination of the resected specimen revealed moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma compatible with cholangiocellular carcinoma. Factors contributing to the patient's long-term survival are discussed. Aggressive surgical resection can be effective even for such an advanced case of cholangiocellular carcinoma.