Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for positive hepatic ductal margin on cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract Aim This study evaluated the effects of postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (A‐CRT) for positive hepatic ductal margin (HM+) in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC). Methods Patients with EHCC who underwent surgical resection between 2002 and 2014 were included in this retrospective study. For patients with HM+, A‐CRT was conducted. The clinical effect of A‐CRT for HM+ on the survival and recurrence and prognostic factors of EHCC was reviewed. Results Among 340 patients, the hepatic ductal margin was negative in 296 and positive in 44. Of the 44 patients with HM+, 22 received postoperative A‐CRT, and 22 did not. Hepatic stump recurrence occurred in 19 patients. The incidence was significantly higher in patients with HM+ (20%, 9/44) than in those with negative hepatic ductal margin (HM−) (3%, 10/296) (P