Outcome of radical surgery for gallbladder carcinoma according to TNM stage: implications for adjuvant therapeutic strategies.

PURPOSE: Outcomes following surgery for advanced gallbladder carcinoma remain unsatisfactory. This study aimed to determine the surgical outcome and effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy according to TNM stage in patients with gallbladder carcinoma.

METHODS

A total of 200 patients undergoing surgery for gallbladder carcinoma were enrolled. Clinicopathological data were evaluated and surgical outcomes were compared between patients with and without adjuvant chemotherapy according to TNM stage.

RESULTS

The 5-year overall survival (OS) after resection for patients with stage I (n = 27), IIA (n = 18), IIB (n = 28), IIIA (n = 25), IIIB (n = 43), IVA (n = 7), and IVB (n = 52) disease was 90.8%, 94.4%, 73.6%, 33.7%, 57.7%, 14.3%, and 11.8%, respectively (p < 0.001). R0 resection was performed in all patients with stage I or II disease, in 89.7% of those with stage III disease, and 69.5% of those with stage IV disease. For patients with stage III disease, adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved OS (5-year OS, 60.9% vs. 41.1%; p = 0.028) and was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 2.045; p = 0.039). For patients with stage IV disease, adjuvant chemotherapy appeared to affect OS (5-year OS, 25.1% vs. 5.3%; p = 0.041); R0 resection (hazard ratio, 1.882; p = 0.040) was the only independent prognostic factor.

CONCLUSION

TNM stage clearly predicts survival after resection of gallbladder carcinoma. R0 resection with adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for long-term survival in the multimodal management of patients with stage III or IV gallbladder carcinoma.