Five-year survival of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma: a single-center retrospective study

Purpose: Hilar cholangiocarcinoma is known for its poor prognosis due to late diagnosis. To achieve long-term survival, curative resection often is necessary. However, after surgical resection, the 5-year survival rates vary from 14% to 48%. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic factors for long-term survival in hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: Patients who underwent curative resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma at Samsung Medical Center from January 2000 to December 2020 were included. Demographics, surgical and oncological outcomes, short-term complications, recurrence, pathologic results, and survival were analyzed. Prognostic factors were analyzed with Cox proportional hazards models. Results: A total of 449 patients diagnosed with hilar cholangiocarcinoma who underwent intent-to-treat resection at Samsung Medical Center from 2000 to 2020 were included in this study. The median disease-free survival was 19 months, and the median survival was 40 months. One-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 82.8%, 53.7%, and 35.8%, respectively. Conclusion: The 5-year survival rate of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma was 35.8% at Samsung Medical Center. Median survival was 40 months. N2 stage and tumor biology were factors affecting 5-year survival.