Liver Fibrosis Is Associated with Poorer Overall Survival and Higher Recurrence Rate in Patients with Cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary liver tumour worldwide with an increasing incidence in recent decades. While the effects of fibrosis on hepatocellular carcinoma have been widely demonstrated, the impact on cholangiocarcinoma remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of liver fibrosis on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients who have undergone liver resection for cholangiocarcinoma. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Eighty patients with cholangiocarcinoma who underwent curatively intended liver surgery between January 2007 and December 2020 were included in this retrospective single-centre study. Clinical and histopathological features were analysed. The primary endpoint was cause-specific survival. Secondary endpoints were DFS and identification of prognostic factors. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The present study shows that the median OS is significantly reduced in patients with fibrosis (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). The median OS in patients with fibrosis was three times shorter than in the group without fibrosis. In addition, a significantly shorter DFS was observed in patients with fibrosis (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.002). Multivariate analysis showed that fibrosis is the strongest independent factor with a negative impact on OS and DFS. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Liver fibrosis has a significant impact on OS and DFS in patients with cholangiocarcinoma. Patients with known liver fibrosis require thorough perioperative care and postoperative follow-up.