Bile spillage in incidental gallbladder cancer is not an independent predictor for survival: A multi-institute retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND

Bile spillage occurs more frequently in patients with incidental gallbladder carcinoma (iGBC) and may be associated with poor survival due to presumed high risk of peritoneal seeding.

AIM: To investigate the impact of bile spillage during primary surgery on the survival of patients with iGBC.

METHODS

Medical records of patients with iGBC diagnosed between 2000 and 2019 in 27 Dutch secondary centers and 5 tertiary centers were retrospectively reviewed. Patient medical records were assessed. Predictors for overall survival (OS) were determined using multivariable Cox regression.

RESULTS

Of the 346 included patients with iGBC, 138 (39.9%) had bile spillage, which was associated with higher American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (P = 0.020), cholecystitis (P < 0.001), higher tumor stage (P = 0.005), and non-radical resection (P < 0.001). Bile spillage was associated with poor OS [hazard ratio = 1.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.48-2.63, P < 0.001] with a median OS of 12 months (95%CI: 7-18 months) vs 34 months (95%CI: 14-55 months, P < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, spillage was not an independent prognostic factor for survival (hazard ratio = 1.21, 95%CI: 0.84-1.74, P = 0.313).

CONCLUSION

Although bile spillage correlates with prognostic factors, it lacks independent prognostic significance for survival. Patients with an indication for additional treatment should be promptly referred to a specialized hepatopancreatobiliary center, irrespective of whether bile spillage has occurred.