OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between the change of coagulation and the clinicopathologic characteristics in patients with gallbladder cancer.

METHODSThe 64 gallbladder cancer patients (GBC group) and 60 cholecystitis patients (control group) had been reviewed from January 2007 to June 2013. The prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (Fib), and thrombin time (TT) had been measured and compared between patients of GBC group and control group. The relationship of coagulation function and prognosis were analyzed.

RESULTSCompared with control group, APTT in GBC group ((29.0 ± 4.2) s) was significantly shortened (t = -4.265, P = 0.000) and PT ((11.5 ± 1.4) s), TT ((15.3 ± 3.5) s), Fib ((4.1 ± 0.9) g/L) were significantly increased in GBC group (t = 2.521, 4.147 and 4.365, all P < 0.05). The level of Fib was higher in patients with medium or poor-differentiated tumor cells (F = 4.069, P = 0.022), lymph metastasis (t = 2.640, P = 0.010) and advanced staging (II-IV) (t = 3.003, P < 0.01) than those of well-differentiated, non-lymph metastasis and early staging (0-I). The ratio of gallbladder cancer with hyperfibrinogenemia (32/64) was significantly higher than control group (11/60, χ(2) = 13.709, P < 0.01). In GBC group, compared with normal Fib patients, hyperfibrinogenemia patients showed significantly difference in clinicopathologic characteristics (χ(2) = 5.851-10.573, P < 0.05). The average survival period of hyperfibrinogenemia patients and normal Fib patients were 8.63 months and 16.73 months. The 1-, 3-year survival rate of patients with hyperfibrinogenemia were significantly lower than those with normal Fib (64.7%, 14.9% vs. 74.9%, 21.1%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPreoperative plasma level of Fib might be a new promising biomarker in patients with gallbladder cancer for evaluating disease progression and prognosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Coagulation ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; metabolism ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Prothrombin Time

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of preoperative transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) on hepatocellular carcinoma located in caudate lobe.

METHODSTotally 29 cases of caudate lobe hepatocellular carcinoma admitted from January 2001 to December 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. Among the 29 patients, 23 were male and the other 6 were female. The median age was 52 years. According to receiving preoperative TACE or not, the 29 cases were divided into two groups: preoperative TACE plus surgery (group A, n = 11) and surgery only (group B, n = 18). The surgical results and long-term survival were compared between two groups.

RESULTSAfter TACE, the diameter of the tumour reduced by over 33.3% in 3 patients, 10.0% to 33.3% in 6 patients, and less than 10.0% in 2 patients. The duration of surgery and intraoperative blood loss in group A were (298 ± 39) minutes and (1031 ± 310) ml, respectively. The duration of surgery and intraoperative blood loss in group B were (281 ± 54) minutes and (868 ± 403) ml, respectively. No significant difference was found in terms of these two groups (t = 1.006, P = 0.324; t = 1.223, P = 0.232). In addition, 6 cases in group A developed complications and 4 cases in group B did so. Only one patient died because of postoperative complication, and this patient belonged to group A. No significant difference was found between two groups (χ(2) = 0.028, P = 0.868; χ(2) = 0.633, P = 0.426). The 5-year survival rate was 56.8% in group A and 34.9% in group B. The difference did not reach significant difference (P = 0.132).

CONCLUSIONSFor hepatocellular carcinoma located in caudate lobe, preoperative TACE does not significantly increase the surgical difficulty and impair the safety. In addition, preoperative TACE has the tendency to provide benefit to long-term survival.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; surgery ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies