[Carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile duct--report of 13 patients].

13 patients with extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma treated in our institute from 1960 to 1986 are reported. All were proven by pathology. There were 10 moderately differentiated or mucin adenocarcinomas, 2 poorly differentiated and 1 undifferentiated cancers. There were 9 males and 4 females with an average age of 60.6 years. Progressive obstructive jaundice was the most common presenting symptom (11/13). Hepatomegaly was found in 7 patients, distended gallbladder in 4 and gallstone in 2. Before operation, 10 patients were misdiagnosed as hepatitis, cholecystitis or cholelithiasis. During operation, regional lymph node metastasis was observed in the majority of patients. Palliative operation was performed in 10 patients and radical surgery in 3. Three received operation plus postoperative radiotherapy. None survived more than two years. The lesions occurred frequently in the upper bile duct (8 patients). The middle bile duct and diffuse type carcinomas comprised 2 each. One was not recorded clearly. The prognosis is related to the gross type of the tumor and differentiation degree. Finally, carcinogenesis is discussed briefly.