LONG-TERM SURVIVAL AFTER SURGERY FOR ADVANCED INTRAHEPATIC CHOLANGIOCARCINOMA - A CASE-REPORT

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma has a tendency to disperse intrahepati cally and extrahepatically, therefore, resectability is limited and pr ognosis is generally poor. A 68-year-old female was diagnosed as intra hepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the right lobe based on systematic image s including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasono graphy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, angiography, chest X-ra y, as well as laboratory data. Tumor invasion to the right diaphragm, lung and chest wall was suspected pre-operatively. After pre-operative portal embolization, extended right hepatectomy with partial resectio n of the involved organs including diaphragm, lung, and chest wall was done en bloc. The patient made an uneventful postoperative recovery a nd there has not been any evidence of recurrence at present, over four and a half years after surgery. Experience in the present case indica tes that radical surgery may be a potential approach to yield a hopefu l outcome for patient with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, even if th e tumor invades adjacent organs directly.