Cholangiocarcinoma: a 10-year experience of a single tertiary centre in the multi ethnicity-Malaysia.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare biliary tract epithelial malignancy. We described the clinical features of CCA patients in our institution. A 10-year retrospective study of patients with cholangiocarcinoma in University Malaya Medical Centre was conducted. Clinical data and outcomes in relation to the three anatomical groups of CCA were collected and analysed. Of the 69 patients that were included 55% were male. Mean age was 61 years. Twelve (17%) had intrahepatic, 38 (55%) perihilar and 19 (28%) distal tumour. Mean age (p=0.043), median duration of symptoms (p=0.011), jaundice (p<0.001), total bilirubin level (p=0.003), INR (p=0.005) and mean tumour size (p=0.048) were significantly related to the site of tumour. Only 12 patients had curative resection with seven R0 resections. Cholangiocarcinoma is increasingly diagnosed in our population. Despite that, the diagnosis is still often late. Age, jaundice and tumour size may predict anatomical location of CCA.

A phase II trial of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus.

The effect of brief neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with apparently operable adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus has been investigated. Two courses of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (CFu) were given, followed by evaluation of the response by barium swallow. Twenty-one of 23 patients completed both courses. Two showed a complete response and five a partial response. In only one patient was there a pathological complete response. Toxicity was mild and consisted principally of nausea and vomiting. All patients underwent surgical exploration; resection was completed in 17. There were three hospital deaths (18%). Although CFu has produced two complete responses (on barium swallow) and one complete pathological clearance of tumour, the disappointing total response rate of 7/21 (33%; 95% CI 13-53) or 7/23 (30%; 95% CI 12-49) leads us to believe that further Phase II trials are needed to identify more efficacious agents and regimens.

Histopathological landmarks of hepatocellular carcinoma in Malaysians.

A study was conducted at the Department of Pathology, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur into the histological type (WHO classification), grade (modified Edmondson and Steiner's grading system), mitotic rate, bile production, hyaline globule and Mallory hyaline formation of 52 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosed during a 13-year period between 1st January 1990 to 31st December 2002. In addition, associated cirrhosis, dysplasia (large liver cell dysplasia: LLCD and small liver cell dysplasia: SLCD) and microvascular permeation were also looked for whenever the situation permitted. The patients' ages ranged from 21-years to 85-years (mean = 58.7 years) with a predilection for males and Chinese. Histologically, majority (73.1%) of the tumours demonstrated a trabecular pattern of growth. The bulk (73%) of the tumours were either of grade II or III differentiation. Mitotic activity ranged between 0-100/10 high power fields (hpf) with a mean of 22.2/10 hpf. Bile was noted in 25%, hyaline globules 17.3% and Mallory bodies in one case. Concomitant cirrhosis was present in 73.5%. 73.5% of the cases had associated LLCD. 5 with LLCD also showed SLCD. Microvascular permeation was shown in 76.2% of cases. On comparison with findings from other studies, no major difference seems to exist between the histological characteristics of our HCC cases and that of other populations.

Survival analysis of cholangiocarcinoma: a 10-year experience in Malaysia.

AIM: To investigate the clinical features and survival of patients treated for cholangiocarcinoma in our institution and to analyze the factors affecting their survival. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study assessed patients diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma between January 1997 and December 2007 at the University Malaya Medical Centre in Malaysia. The clinical data and associated outcomes were collected using a structured proforma. RESULTS: Of the 69 patients diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, 38 (55%) were male; mean patient age was 61 years. Twelve patients (17%) had intrahepatic, 38 (55%) had perihilar and 19 (28%) had distal tumors. Only 12 patients underwent curative surgery, including seven R0 resections. Only one patient died within 30 d after surgery. The overall median survival was 4 mo, whereas the median survival of R0 resected patients was 16 mo. The overall 1-, 2- and 3-year cumulative survival rates were 67%, 17% and 17%, respectively. Survival rates were significantly associated with curative resection (P = 0.002), intrahepatic tumor (P = 0.003), negative margin status (P = 0.013), early tumor stage (P = 0.016), higher tumor differentiation (P = 0.032) and absence of jaundice (P = 0.038). Multivariate analysis showed that tumor location was a significant independent predictor of patient survival. CONCLUSION: Curative, margin-negative resection of early stage, well-differentiated intrahepatic tumors is associated with improved patient survival.

Expression of p53 protein in oesophageal carcinoma: clinicopathological correlation and prognostic significance.

Correlation of p53 expression with 5-year survival and histopathological parameters was examined immunohistochemically in two groups of 30 patients with oesophageal carcinoma (5-year survivors versus non-survivors). Tumour type, sex, operative procedure and age were matched. Some 64 per cent of squamous carcinomas and 79 per cent of adenocarcinomas were p53 positive. Normal squamous, normal glandular and metaplastic glandular epithelia were negative. Dysplastic squamous and glandular epithelium adjacent to tumours was positive when the tumour was positive and negative when it was not. Univariate analysis showed that nodal status (P = 0.001), and grade and depth of invasion (both P = 0.01) correlated with outcome. Correlation of tumour grade with outcome, when the most poorly differentiated area is used, is a novel finding for oesophageal carcinoma. The p53 status was not significantly associated with survival or any of these parameters.