Neuroendocrine Component in Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma is Associated with Better Survival: Data from the SEER Study

Introduction This study was performed to evaluate the prognostic value of the neuroendocrine component in patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC). Methods Cases with EHCC derived from the SEER database were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. The clinicopathological features and long-term survival were compared between patients with neuroendocrine carcinoma (NECA) and those with pure adenocarcinoma (AC). Results A total of 3277 patients with EHCC were included (62 patients with NECA and 3215 patients with AC). T stage ( P = 0.531) and M stage ( P = 0.269) were comparable between the two groups. However, lymph node metastasis was more frequently detected in NECA ( P = 0.022). NECA was correlated with more advanced tumor stage than pure AC ( P