Multiple surgical and nonsurgical approaches have been advocated for the treatment of proximal bile duct
cancer. However, survival appears longest when a resection can be performed. Fifteen patients treated at a
university center were managed with an aggressive surgical approach. Resection of the tumor was
performed in 13 of 15 patients (87%). Of the patients undergoing resection, major hepatic resection was
performed in 8 (62%), while excision of vessels with reconstruction was performed in 5 (38%). Eleven of
the 13 resected patients (85%) were discharged from the hospital. Clinical symptoms of recurrent disease
occurred between 3 and 36 months after surgery in 7 patients, 6 of whom have died. Three other patients
are alive at 5, 21, and 36 months without clinical evidence of recurrence. There was no correlation between
the completeness of resection and the duration of disease-free survival