Adequate extent in radical re-resection of incidental gallbladder carcinoma: analysis of the German Registry

Background Complete surgical resection is the only potentially curative treatment of gallbladder cancer. Gallbladder carcinoma is suspected preoperatively in 30% of patients, and 70% are incidentally discovered by the pathologist (incidental gallbladder carcinoma, IGBC). If IGBC is detected postoperatively, a re-resection, including liver resection and lymph node dissection, in T2 tumor cases and more advanced stages is recommended. It remains unclear whether the prognosis of wedge resection (2-3-cm margin) of the gallbladder bed is the same as that of resection of segments IVb/V. Methods The German Registry, founded in 1997, aims to prospectively record all IGBC cases in Germany. In this study patients with a radical re-resection were treated according to the S3 Guidelines in Germany. The aim of this study was to clarify whether different techniques of liver re-resection show comparable results or if they differ depending on the tumor stage in IGBC patients (n = 624). Results A significant survival advantage in patients who have an early re-resection was observed. There was a trend of better survival in T1 tumor stage patients who undergo the less radical re-resection, especially the wedge-resection technique of 3 cm in the gallbladder bed. In T2 tumor stage patients there is a tendency for better survival with the IVb/V-resection technique compared to the 3-cm wedge resection in the gallbladder bed, and a significant survival benefit for these two techniques compared to less radical resection was evident. T3 tumor cases showed better survival with the more radical resection techniques. Conclusions The wedge-resection technique combined with lymph node dissection may be the surgical strategy of choice in T1 tumor cases. For T2 tumors, IVb/V resection combined with lymph node dissection of the hepatoduodenal ligament appears to be the minimum volume of resection required. More radical procedures are needed for tumors infiltrating the serosa or beyond.