Surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma with bile duct tumor thrombus

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) is relatively rare, with an incidence of about 1.2% to 12.9%.1 Surgical resection is the preferred treatment for HCC with BDTT; however, whether the extrahepatic bile duct should be preserved or resected remains controversial.2–4 BDTT rarely invades the walls of the extrahepatic bile duct due to its expansive growth characteristics. Thus, most BDTT can be treated with tumor thrombectomy, avoiding resection of the extrahepatic bile duct.