Abstract
Objective
To systematically evaluate the significance of cirrhosis in cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) concerning short and long-term outcomes.
Methods
Cases diagnosed with IHCC from 2000 to 2020 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Comparative analyses were conducted between cases with cirrhosis and those without cirrhosis.
Results
A total of 644 cases with sufficient staging information and cirrhosis data were ultimately included. Comparative analyses indicated that cirrhosis was more prevalent among male cases (72.3% vs 50.6%, P < 0.001). Similar tumor differentiation status was observed between the two groups (P = 0.510). Cases without cirrhosis exhibited a higher incidence of T3-T4 disease (19.3% vs 12.2%, P = 0.025). Radiotherapy (3.3% vs 7.9%, P = 0.024), chemotherapy (45.5% vs 56.8%, P = 0.007), and surgery (37.1% vs 47.1%, P = 0.016) were more frequently performed among cases without cirrhosis. Cirrhosis was identified as a risk factor with minimal impact on survival but was not a prognostic factor. Even after matching, cases with cirrhosis still demonstrated a comparable long-term prognosis compared to those without cirrhosis.
Conclusion
Cirrhosis represents a risk factor rather than a prognostic factor for IHCC cases. While cirrhotic cases may have a lower resectability rate, their overall prognosis is similar to that of non-cirrhotic cases.