Liver transplantation as an alternative for the treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: Past, present, and future directions

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(iCCA)is a rare biliary tract cancer with high mortality rate.Complete resection of the iCCA lesion is the first choice of treatment,with good prognosis after margin-negative resection.Unfortunately,only 12%-40% of patients are eligible for resection at presentation due to cirrhosis,portal hypertension,or large tumor size.Liver transplantation(LT)offers margin-negative iCCA extirpation for patients with unresectable tumors.Initially,iCCA was a contraindication for LT until size-based selection criteria were introduced to identify patients with satisfied post-LT outcomes.Recent studies have shown that tumor biology-based selection can yield high post-LT survival in patients with locally advanced iCCA.Another selection criterion is the tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy.Patients with response to neoadjuvant therapy have better outcomes after LT compared with those without tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy.Another index that helps predict the treatment outcome is the biomarker.Improved survival outcomes have also opened the door for living donor LT for iCCA.Patients undergoing LT for iCCA now have statistically similar survival rates as patients undergoing resection.The combination of surgery and locoregional and systemic therapies improves the prognosis of iCCA patients.

Liver transplantation as an alternative for the treatment of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: A critical review

Background:Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma(phCCC)is a dismal malignancy.There is no consensus regard-ing the best treatment for patients with unresectable phCCC.The present review aimed to gather the current pieces of evidence for liver transplantation and liver resection as a treatment for phCCC and to build better guidance for clinical practice.Data sources:The search was conducted in PubMed,Embase,Cochrane,and LILACS.The related references were searched manually.Inclusion criteria were:reports in English or Portuguese literature that a)patients with confirmed diagnosis of phCCC;b)patients treated with a curative intent;c)patients with the outcomes of liver resection and liver transplantation.Case reports,reviews,letters,editorials,conference abstracts and papers with full-text unavailability were excluded from the analysis.Results:Most of the current literature is based on observational retrospective studies with low grades of evidence.Liver resection has better long-term outcomes than systemic chemotherapy or palliation ther-apy and liver transplantation is a good alternative for selected patients with unresectable phCCC.All candidates for resection or transplantation should be medically fit and free of intrahepatic or extrahep-atic diseases.As a general rule,patients presenting with a tumor having a longitudinal size>3 cm or extending below the cystic duct,lymph node disease,confirmed extrahepatic dissemination;intraoper-atively diagnosed metastatic disease;a history of other malignancies within the last five years,and did not complete chemoradiation regimen and were medically unfit should not be considered for transplan-tation.Some of these criteria should be individually assessed.Liver transplantation or resection should only be considered in highly experienced hepatobiliary centers,and any decision-making must be based on a multidisciplinary evaluation.Conclusions:phCCC is a complex condition with high morbidity.Surgical therapies,including hepatec-tomy and liver transplantation,are the best option for better long-term disease-free survival.

Current interventional options for palliative care for patients with advanced-stage cholangiocarcinoma

Primary biliary tract tumors are malignancies that originate in the liver,bile ducts,or gallbladder.These tumors often present with jaundice of unknown etiology,leading to delayed diagnosis and advanced disease.Currently,several palliative treatment options are available for primary biliary tract tumors.They include percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD),biliary stenting,and surgical interventions such as biliary diversion.Systemic therapy is also commonly used for the palliative treatment of primary biliary tract tumors.It involves the administration of chemotherapy drugs,such as gemcitabine and cisplatin,which have shown promising results in improving overall survival in patients with advanced biliary tract tumors.PTBD is another palliative treatment option for patients with unresectable or inoperable malignant biliary obstruction.Biliary stenting can also be used as a palliative treatment option to alleviate symptoms in patients with unresectable or inoperable malignant biliary obstruction.Surgical interventions,such as biliary diversion,have traditionally been used as palliative options for primary biliary tract tumors.However,biliary diversion only provides temporary relief and does not remove the tumor.Primary biliary tract tumors often present in advanced stages,making palliative treatment the primary option for improving the quality of life of patients.

Removal of intrahepatic bile duct stone could reduce the risk of cholangiocarcinoma: A single-center retrospective study in South Korea

BACKGROUND Intrahepatic duct(IHD)stones are among the most important risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma(CCC).Approximately 10%of patients with IHD stones develop CCC;however,there are limited studies regarding the effect of IHD stone removal on CCC development.AIM To investigate the association between IHD stone removal and CCC development.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 397 patients with IHD stones at a tertiary referral center between January 2011 and December 2020.RESULTS CCC occurred in 36 of the 397 enrolled patients.In univariate analysis,chronic hepatitis B infection(11.1%vs 3.0%,P=0.03),carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA19-9,176.00 vs 11.96 II/mL,P=0.010),stone located in left or both lobes(86.1%vs 70.1%,P=0.042),focal atrophy(52.8%vs 26.9%,P=0.001),duct stricture(47.2%vs 24.9%,P=0.004),and removal status of IHD stone(33.3%vs 63.2%,P<0.001)were significantly different between IHD stone patients with and without CCC.In the multivariate analysis,CA19-9>upper normal limit,carcinoembryonic antigen>upper normal limit,stones located in the left or both lobes,focal atrophy,and complete removal of IHD stones without recurrence were independent factors influencing CCC development.However,the type of removal method was not associated with CCC risk.CONCLUSION Complete removal of IHD stones without recurrence could reduce CCC risk.

Ex vivo liver resection and auto-transplantation and special systemic therapy in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma treatment

This editorial contains comments on the article“Systematic sequential therapy for ex vivo liver resection and autotransplantation:A case report and review of li-terature”in the recent issue of World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.It points out the actuality and importance of the article and focuses primarily on the role and place of ex vivo liver resection and autotransplantation(ELRAT)and systemic therapy,underlying molecular mechanisms for targeted therapy in perihilar cho-langiocarcinoma(pCCA)management.pCCA is a tough malignancy with a high proportion of advanced disease at the time of diagnosis.The only curative option is radical surgery.Surgical excision and reconstruction become extremely com-plicated and not always could be performed even in localized disease.On the other hand,ELRAT takes its place among surgical options for carefully selected pCCA patients.In advanced disease,systemic therapy becomes a viable option to prolong survival.This editorial describes current possibilities in chemotherapy and reveals underlying mechanisms and projections in targeted therapy with ki-nase inhibitors and immunotherapy in both palliative and adjuvant settings.Fi-broblast grow factor and fibroblast grow factor receptor,human epidermal grow-th factor receptor 2,isocitrate dehydrogenase,and protein kinase cAMP activated catalytic subunit alpha(PRKACA)and beta(PRKACB)pathways have been ac-tively investigated in CCA in last years.Several agents were introduced and approved by the Food and Drug Administration.They all demonstrated mean-ingful activity in CCA patients with no global change in outcomes.That is why every successfully treated patient counts,especially those with advanced disease.In conclusion,pCCA is still hard to treat due to late diagnosis and extremely complicated surgical options.ELRAT also brings some hope,but it could be performed in very carefully selected patients.Advanced disease requires systemic anticancer treatment,which is supposed to be individualized according to the genetic and molecular features of cancer cells.Targeted therapy in combination with chemo-immunotherapy could be effective in susceptible patients.

National guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

A consensus meeting of national experts from all major national hepatobiliary centres in the country was held on May 26,2023,at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute&Research Centre(PKLI&RC)after initial consultations with the experts.The Pakistan Society for the Study of Liver Diseases(PSSLD)and PKLI&RC jointly organised this meeting.This effort was based on a comprehensive literature review to establish national practice guidelines for hilar cholangiocarcinoma(hCCA).The consensus was that hCCA is a complex disease and requires a multidisciplinary team approach to best manage these patients.This coordinated effort can minimise delays and give patients a chance for curative treatment and effective palliation.The diagnostic and staging workup includes high-quality computed tomography,magnetic resonance imaging,and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreato-graphy.Brush cytology or biopsy utilizing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a mainstay for diagnosis.However,histopathologic confirmation is not always required before resection.Endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration of regional lymph nodes and positron emission tomography scan are valuable adjuncts for staging.The only curative treatment is the surgical resection of the biliary tree based on the Bismuth-Corlette classification.Selected patients with unresectable hCCA can be considered for liver transplantation.Adjuvant chemotherapy should be offered to patients with a high risk of recurrence.The use of preoperative biliary drainage and the need for portal vein embolisation should be based on local multidisciplinary discussions.Patients with acute cholangitis can be drained with endoscopic or percutaneous biliary drainage.Palliative chemotherapy with cisplatin and gemcitabine has shown improved survival in patients with irresectable and recurrent hCCA.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist:A potential game changer for cholangiocarcinoma

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor(GLP-1R)agonist,a subgroup of incretin-based anti-diabetic therapies,is an emerging medication with benefits in reducing blood glucose and weight and increasing cardiovascular protection.Contrarily,concerns have been raised about GLP-1R agonists increasing the risk of particular cancers.Recently,several epidemiological studies reported contradictory findings of incretin-based therapy on the risk modification for cholangiocarcinoma(CCA).The first cohort study demonstrated that incretin-based therapy was associated with an increased risk of CCA.Later studies,however,showed a null effect of incretinbased therapy on CCA risk for dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor nor GLP-1R agonist.Mechanistically,glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor is multifunctional,including promoting cell growth.High GLP-1R expressions were associated with progressive phenotypes of CCA cells in vitro.Unexpectedly,the GLP-1R agonist showed anti-tumor effects on CCA cells in vitro and in vivo with unclear mechanisms.Our recent report also showed that GLP-1R agonists suppressed the expression of GLP-1R in CCA cells in vitro and in vivo,leading to the inhibition of CCA tumor growth.This editorial reviews recent evidence,discusses the potential effects of GLP-1R agonists in CCA patients,and proposes underlying mechanisms that would benefit from further basic and clinical investigation.

Establishment of a cholangiocarcinoma risk evaluation model based on mucin expression levels

BACKGROUND Cholangiocarcinoma(CCA)is a highly malignant cancer,characterized by frequent mucin overexpression.MUC1 has been identified as a critical oncogene in the progression of CCA.However,the comprehensive understanding of how the mucin family influences CCA progression and prognosis is still incomplete.AIM To investigate the functions of mucins on the progression of CCA and to establish a risk evaluation formula for stratifying CCA patients.METHODS Single-cell RNA sequencing data from 14 CCA samples were employed for elucidating the roles of mucins,complemented by bioinformatic analyses.Subse-quent validations were conducted through spatial transcriptomics and immuno-histochemistry.The construction of a risk evaluation model utilized the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression algorithm,which was further confirmed by independent cohorts and diverse data types.RESULTS CCA tumor cells with elevated levels of MUC1 and MUC4 showed activated nucleotide metabolic pathways and increased invasiveness.MUC5AC-high cells were found to promote CCA progression through WNT signaling.MUC5B-high cells exhibited robust cellular oxidation activities,leading to resistance against antitumoral treatments.MUC13-high cells were observed to secret chemokines,recruiting and transforming macrophages into the M2-polarized state,thereby suppressing antitumor immunity.MUC16-high cells were found to promote tumor progression through interleukin-1/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells signaling upon interaction with neutrophils.Utilizing the expression levels of these mucins,a risk factor evaluation formula for CCA was developed and validated across multiple cohorts.CCA samples with higher risk factors exhibited stronger metastatic potential,chemotherapy resistance,and poorer prognosis.CONCLUSION Our study elucidates the functional mechanisms through which mucins contribute to CCA development,and provides tools for risk stratification in CCA.

Causal roles of gut microbiota in cholangiocarcinoma etiology suggested by genetic study

BACKGROUND Cholangiocarcinoma(CCA)is a highly malignant biliary tract cancer with poor prognosis.Previous studies have implicated the gut microbiota in CCA,but evidence for causal mechanisms is lacking.AIM To investigate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and CCA risk.METHODS We performed a two-sample mendelian randomization study to evaluate potential causal associations between gut microbiota and CCA risk using genome-wide association study summary statistics for 196 gut microbial taxa and CCA.Genetic variants were used as instrumental variables.Multiple sensitivity analyses assessed result robustness.RESULTS Fifteen gut microbial taxa showed significant causal associations with CCA risk.Higher genetically predicted abundance of genus Eubacteriumnodatum group,genus Ruminococcustorques group,genus Coprococcus,genus Dorea,and phylum Actinobacteria were associated with reduced risk of gallbladder cancer and extrahepatic CCA.Increased intrahepatic CCA risk was associated with higher abundance of family Veillonellaceae,genus Alistipes,order Enterobacteriales,and phylum Firmicutes.Protective effects against CCA were suggested for genus Collinsella,genus Eisenbergiella,genus Anaerostipes,genus Paraprevotella,genus Parasutterella,and phylum Verrucomicrobia.Sensitivity analyses indicated these findings were reliable without pleiotropy.CONCLUSION This pioneering study provides novel evidence that specific gut microbiota may play causal roles in CCA risk.Further experimental validation of these candidate microbes is warranted to consolidate causality and mechanisms.

Removal of intrahepatic bile duct stone could reduce the risk of cholangiocarcinoma

Hepatolithiasis(HL)poses a significant risk for cholangiocarcinoma(CCA)development,with reported incidences ranging from 5%-13%.Risk factors include older age,smoking,hepatitis B infection,and prolonged HL duration.Chronic inflammation and mechanical stress on the biliary epithelium contribute to CCA pathogenesis.Hepatectomy reduces CCA risk by removing stones and atrophic liver segments.However,residual stones and incomplete removal increase CCA risk.Kim et al identified carbohydrate antigen 19-9,carcinoembryonic antigen,and stone laterality as CCA risk factors,reaffirming the importance of complete stone removal.Nonetheless,challenges remain in preventing CCA recurrence post-surgery.Longer-term studies are needed to elucidate CCA risk factors further.

Establishing prognostic models for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma based on immune cells

BACKGROUND Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)is a malignant liver tumor that is challenging to treat and manage and current prognostic models for the disease are inefficient or ineffective.Tumor-associated immune cells are critical for tumor development and progression.The main goal of this study was to establish models based on tumor-associated immune cells for predicting the overall survival of patients undergoing surgery for ICC.AIM To establish 1-year and 3-year prognostic models for ICC after surgical resection.METHODS Immunohistochemical staining was performed for CD4,CD8,CD20,pan-cytokeratin(CK),and CD68 in tumors and paired adjacent tissues from 141 patients with ICC who underwent curative surgery.Selection of variables was based on regression diagnostic procedures and goodness-of-fit tests(PH assumption).Clinical parameters and pathological diagnoses,combined with the distribution of immune cells in tumors and paired adjacent tissues,were utilized to establish 1-and 3-year prognostic models.RESULTS This is an important application of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment.CD4,CD8,CD20,and CK were included in the establishment of our prognostic model by stepwise selection,whereas CD68 was not significantly associated with the prognosis of ICC.By integrating clinical data associated with ICC,distinct prognostic models were derived for 1-and 3-year survival outcomes using variable selection.The 1-year prediction model yielded a C-index of 0.7695%confidence interval(95%CI):0.65-0.87 and the 3-year prediction model produced a C-index of 0.69(95%CI:0.65-0.73).Internal validation yielded a C-index of 0.761(95%CI:0.669-0.853)for the 1-year model and 0.693(95%CI:0.642-0.744)for the 3-year model.CONCLUSION We developed Cox regression models for 1-year and 3-year survival predictions of patients with ICC who underwent resection,which has positive implications for establishing a more comprehensive prognostic model for ICC based on tumor immune microenvironment and immune cell changes in the future.

Personalized treatment of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma based on tumor genetic and molecular characteristics

This editorial discusses the article written by Tchilikidi et al that was published in the latest edition of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.Genetic and molecular profiling of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma(pCCA)has identified a number of key abnormalities that drive tumor growth and spread,including pyruvate kinase M2,proline rich 11,and transcription factor 7,etc.pCCA has specific genetic and molecular features that can be used to develop personalized treatment plans.Personalized treatment approaches offer new opportunities for effectively targeting the underlying drivers of tumor growth and progression.The findings based on tumor genetic and molecular characteristics highlight the importance of developing personalized treatment strategies.

Conversion surgery after gemcitabine and cisplatin plus durvalumab for advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND The combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy has shown promising results for the treatment of advanced biliary tract cancer(BTC).Based on the results of the TOPAZ-1 trial,a gemcitabine and cisplatin plus durvalumab(GCD)regimen was recently approved as first-line therapy for patients with advanced BTC.However,post-GCD conversion surgery has not been previously studied.Herein,we describe a case of advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)successfully treated with radical surgery after GCD.CASE SUMMARY A 65-year-old female diagnosed with advanced ICC with periductal infiltration into the hepatic hilum underwent eight cycles of GCD,followed by durvalumab maintenance treatment,with mild adverse events.Partial response was obtained.Subsequently,a conversion surgery with extended left hepatectomy and bile duct resection was performed.The resection margins were negative,and the pathological diagnosis was compatible with small duct type ICC.The patient remained disease-free for 8 months without adjuvant chemotherapy.CONCLUSION We describe the case of a patient who received successful conversion surgery after GCD treatment for advanced ICC.

Conversion therapy in advanced perihilar cholangiocarcinoma based on patient-derived organoids:A case report

BACKGROUND Patient-derived organoids(PDOs)have been demonstrated to predict the response to drugs in multiple cancer types.However,it remains unclear about its application in cholangiocarcinoma.CASE SUMMARY A 59-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital due to upper abdominal pain for over 8 months.According to relevant examinations,she was diagnosed as perihilar cholangiocarcinoma(pCCA)with intrahepatic metastasis and perihilar lymphatic metastasis.After multidisciplinary team discussion,percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage was performed to relieve biliary obstruction,and puncture biopsy was conducted to confirm the pathological diagnosis.Transarterial chemoembolization with nab-paclitaxel was used in combination with toripalimab and lenvatinib,but the levels of tumor markers including alpha fetal protein,carcinoembryonic antigen,carbohydrate antigen 15-3 and cancer antigen 125 were still raised.The PDO for drug screening showed sensitive to gemcitabine and cisplatin.Accordingly,the chemotherapy regimen was adjusted to gemcitabine and cisplatin in combination with toripalimab and lenvatinib.After 4 cycles of treatment,the tumor was assessed resectable,and radical surgical resection was performed successfully.One year after surgery,the patient was still alive,and no recurrence or occurred.CONCLUSION PDOs for drug sensitivity contribute to screening effective chemotherapy drugs for advanced pCCA,promoting conversion therapy and improving the prognosis.

Management of distal cholangiocarcinoma with arterial involvement: Systematic review and case series on the role of neoadjuvant therapy

BACKGROUND The use of neoadjuvant therapy(NAT)in distal cholangiocarcinoma(dCCA)with regional arterial or extensive venous involvement,is not widely accepted and evidence is sparse.AIM To synthesise evidence on NAT for dCCA and present the experience of a highvolume tertiary-centre managing dCCA with arterial involvement.METHODS A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidance to identify all studies reporting outcomes of patients with dCCA who received NAT.All patients from 2017 to 2022 who were referred for NAT for dCCA at our centre were retrospectively collected from a prospectively maintained database.Baseline characteristics,NAT type,progression to surgery and oncological outcomes were collected.RESULTS Twelve studies were included.The definition of“unresectable”locally advanced dCCA was heterogenous.Four studies reported outcomes for 9 patients who received NAT for dCCA with extensive vascular involvement.R0 resection rate ranged between 0 and 100%but without survival benefit in most cases.Remaining studies considered either NAT in resectable dCCA or inclusive with extrahepatic CCA.The presented case series includes 9 patients(median age 67,IQR 56-74 years,male:female 5:4)referred for NAT for borderline resectable or locally advanced disease.Three patients progressed to surgery and 2 were resected.One patient died at 14 months with evidence of recurrence at 6 months and the other died at 51 months following recurrence 6 months postoperatively.CONCLUSION Evidence for benefit of NAT is limited.Consensus on criteria for uniform definition of resectability for dCCA is required.We propose using the established National-Comprehensive-Cancer-Network®criteria for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Preoperative systemic inflammatory response index as a prognostic marker for distal cholangiocarcinoma after pancreatoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND The relationship between preoperative inflammation status and tumorigenesis as well as tumor progression is widely acknowledged.AIM To assess the prognostic significance of preoperative inflammatory biomarkers in patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma(dCCA)who underwent pancreat-oduodenectomy(PD).METHODS This single-center study included 216 patients with dCCA after PD between January 1,2011,and December 31,2022.The individuals were categorized into two sets based on their systemic inflammatory response index(SIRI)levels:A low SIRI group(SIRI<1.5,n=123)and a high SIRI group(SIRI≥1.5,n=93).Inflam-matory biomarkers were evaluated for predictive accuracy using receiver operating characteristic curves.Both univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed to estimate SIRI for overall survival(OS)and recurrence-free survival(RFS).RESULTS The study included a total of 216 patients,with 58.3%being male and a mean age of 65.6±9.6 years.123 patients were in the low SIRI group and 93 were in the high SIRI group after PD for dCCA.SIRI had an area under the curve value of 0.674 for diagnosing dCCA,showing better performance than other inflammatory biomarkers.Multivariate analysis indicated that having a SIRI greater than 1.5 independently increased the risk of dCCA following PD,leading to lower OS[hazard ratios(HR)=1.868,P=0.006]and RFS(HR=0.949,P<0.001).Additionally,survival analysis indicated a significantly better prognosis for patients in the low SIRI group(P<0.001).CONCLUSION It is determined that a high SIRI before surgery is a significant risk factor for dCCA after PD.

Prognostic value of PEA3 subfamily gene expression in cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND Cholangiocarcinoma(CCA)is a lethal malignancy with limited treatment options and poor prognosis.The PEA3 subfamily of E26 transformation specific genes:ETV1,ETV4,and ETV5 are known to play significant roles in various cancers by influencing cell proliferation,invasion,and metastasis.AIM To analyze PEA3 subfamily gene expression levels in CCA and their correlation with clinical parameters to determine their prognostic value for CCA.METHODS The expression levels of PEA3 subfamily genes in pan-cancer and CCA data in the cancer genome atlas and genotype-tissue expression project databases were analyzed with R language software.Survival curve and receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed using the SurvMiner,Survival,and Procr language packages.The gene expression profiling interactive analysis 2.0 database was used to analyze the expression levels of PEA3 subfamily genes in different subtypes and stages of CCA.Web Gestalt was used to perform the gene ontology/Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(GO/KEGG)analysis,and STRING database analysis was used to determine the genes and proteins related to PEA3 subfamily genes.RESULTS ETV1,ETV4,and ETV5 expression levels were significantly increased in CCA.There were significant differences in ETV1,ETV4,and ETV5 expression levels among the different subtypes of CCA,and predictive analysis revealed that only high ETV1 and ETV4 expression levels were significantly associated with shorter overall survival in patients with CCA.GO/KEGG analysis revealed that PEA3 subfamily genes were closely related to transcriptional misregulation in cancer.In vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that PEA3 silencing inhibited the invasion and metastasis of CCA cells.CONCLUSION The expression level of ETV4 may be a predictive biomarker of survival in patients with CCA.

Ultrasomics in liver cancer: Developing a radiomics model for differentiating intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma from hepatocellular carcinoma using contrast-enhanced ultrasound

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)represent the predominant histological types of primary liver cancer,comprising over 99%of cases.Given their differing biological behaviors,prognoses,and treatment strategies,accurately differentiating between HCC and ICC is crucial for effective clinical management.Radiomics,an emerging image processing technology,can automatically extract various quantitative image features that may elude the human eye.Reports on the application of ultrasound(US)-based radiomics methods in distinguishing HCC from ICC are limited.METHODS In our retrospective study,we included a total of 280 patients who were diagnosed with ICC(n=140)and HCC(n=140)between 1999 and 2019.These patients were divided into training(n=224)and testing(n=56)groups for analysis.US images and relevant clinical characteristics were collected.We utilized the XGBoost method to extract and select radiomics features and further employed a random forest algorithm to establish ultrasomics models.We compared the diagnostic performances of these ultrasomics models with that of radiologists.RESULTS Four distinct ultrasomics models were constructed,with the number of selected features varying between models:13 features for the US model;15 for the contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)model;13 for the combined US+CEUS model;and 21 for the US+CEUS+clinical data model.The US+CEUS+clinical data model yielded the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)among all models,achieving an AUC of 0.973 in the validation cohort and 0.971 in the test cohort.This performance exceeded even the most experienced radiologist(AUC=0.964).The AUC for the US+CEUS model(training cohort AUC=0.964,test cohort AUC=0.955)was significantly higher than that of the US model alone(training cohort AUC=0.822,test cohort AUC=0.816).This finding underscored the significant benefit of incorporating CEUS information in accurately distin-guishing ICC from HCC.CONCLUSION We developed a radiomics diagnostic model based on CEUS images capable of quickly distinguishing HCC from ICC,which outperformed experienced radiologists.

Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the common hepatic duct coexisting with distal cholangiocarcinoma:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Neuroendocrine carcinoma(NEC)of the extrahepatic bile duct is very rare,and the treatment and prognosis are unclear.Herein,we report the case of a middleaged female with primary large cell NEC(LCNEC)of the common hepatic duct combined with distal cholangiocarcinoma(dCCA).Additionally,after a review of the relevant literature,we summarize and compare mixed neuroendocrine-nonneuroendocrine neoplasm(MiNEN)and pure NEC to provide a reference for selecting the appropriate treatment and predicting the prognosis of this rare disease.CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old female presented to the hospital due to recurrent abdominal pain for 2 months.Physical examination showed mild tenderness in the upper abdomen and a positive Courvoisier sign.Blood tests showed elevated liver transaminase and carbohydrate antigen 199 levels.Imaging examination revealed node dissection was performed,and hepatic duct tumours were unexpectedly found during surgery.Pathology suggested poorly differentiated LCNEC(approximately 0.5 cm×0.5 cm×0.4 cm),Ki-67(50%),synaptophysin+,and chromogranin A+.dCCA pathology suggested moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma.The patient eventually developed lymph node metastasis in the liver,bone,peritoneum,and abdominal cavity and died 24 months after surgery.Gene sequencing methods were used to compare gene mutations in the two primary bile duct tumours.CONCLUSION The prognosis of MiNEN and pure NEC alone is different,and the selection of treatment options needs to be differentiated.

“Hepatic hilum area priority,liver posterior first”:An optimized strategy in laparoscopic resection for type Ⅲ-Ⅳ hilar cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND In recent years,pure laparoscopic radical surgery for Bismuth-Corlette type Ⅲ and Ⅳ hilar cholangiocarcinoma(HCCA)has been preliminarily explored and applied,but the surgical strategy and safety are still worthy of further improvement and attention.AIM To summarize and share the application experience of the emerging strategy of“hepatic hilum area dissection priority,liver posterior separation first”in pure laparoscopic radical resection for patients with HCCA of Bismuth-Corlette types Ⅲ and IV.METHODS The clinical data and surgical videos of 6 patients with HCCA of Bismuth-Corlette types Ⅲ and Ⅳ who underwent pure laparoscopic radical resection in our department from December 2021 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.RESULTS Among the 6 patients,4 were males and 2 were females.The average age was 62.2±11.0 years,and the median body mass index was 20.7(19.2-24.1)kg/m^(2).The preoperative median total bilirubin was 57.7(16.0-155.7)μmol/L.One patient had Bismuth-Corlette type Ⅲa,4 patients had Bismuth-Corlette type Ⅲb,and 1 patient had Bismuth-Corlette type Ⅳ.All patients successfully underwent pure laparoscopic radical resection following the strategy of“hepatic hilum area dissection priority,liver posterior separation first”.The operation time was 358.3±85.0 minutes,and the intraoperative blood loss volume was 195.0±108.4 mL.None of the patients received blood transfusions during the perioperative period.The median length of stay was 8.3(7.0-10.0)days.Mild bile leakage occurred in 2 patients,and all patients were discharged without serious surgery-related complications.CONCLUSION The emerging strategy of“hepatic hilum area dissection priority,liver posterior separation first”is safe and feasible in pure laparoscopic radical surgery for patients with HCCA of Bismuth-Corlette types Ⅲ and Ⅳ.This strategy is helpful for promoting the modularization and process of pure laparoscopic radical surgery for complicated HCCA,shortens the learning curve,and is worthy of further clinical application.