ASO Author Reflections: Treatment for Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Bile Duct Tumor Thrombus—Anatomic Resection Should Be Recommended

Abstract

Bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) is a relatively rare event in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is general accepted that aggressive surgery is the preferred treatment to achieve long-term survival. 1 However, there is no consensus on the optimal treatment strategy for HCC with BDTT. Anatomic resection (AR) has been recommended in HCC patients with portal vein thrombus. 2 The benefits of AR and nonanatomic resection (NAR) in HCC patients with BDTT remain unknown. For this reason, we performed a retrospective analysis to compare the long-term outcomes of AR and NAR in HCC patients with BDTT after curative resection. 3