Comparison of the clinicoradiological features and outcomes of lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma and conventional intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A propensity score matching analysis.
Journal
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan yi zhi
Journal Volume
124
Journal Issue
8
Start Page
724
End Page
730
ISSN
0929-6646
Date Issued
2025-08-14
Author(s)
DOI
10.1016/j.jfma.2024.08.011
Abstract
Background/purpose
Lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma (LELCC) is a rare variant of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). We aim to analyze the differences in the clinical and radiological features of LELCC and ICC.
Methods
Between January 2003 and December 2019, a total of 21 patients diagnosed with LELCC were retrospectively enrolled, and 84 patients with ICC were selected through propensity score matching by sex, age, and initial cancer stage. The clinical characteristics, pathological findings, and radiological features were analyzed. The differences in overall survival (OS) between LELCC and ICC were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Results
The serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) level was higher in the ICC group than in the LELCC group (77.9 vs 30.0 U/mL, p = 0.004). Non-rim arterial phase hyperenhancement (47.1% vs 13.7%, p = 0.005) and portovenous washout (35.3% vs 4.1%, p = 0.001) were more frequently observed in the LELCC group than in the ICC group. Intrahepatic duct dilatation was a distinct feature of the ICC group. The 5-year OS rates in the LELCC and ICC groups were 69.3% and 58.2%, respectively ( p = 0.047). The 5-year OS of patients with stages I and II LELCC between ICC were not significantly different (90.0% vs 83.4%, p = 0.464). However, the 5-year OS of patients with stages III and IV LELCC was more favorable than that of patients with ICC (29.2% vs 23.0%, p = 0.017).
Conclusions
LELCC had a favorable outcome and several different clinicoradiological features compared with ICC.
Subjects
Bile duct neoplasms
Magnetic resonance imaging
Matched-pair analysis
Multidetector computed tomography
Survival analysis
SDGs
Type
journal article