Aim: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of cutaneous metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma by a retrospective analysis of published cases.
Methods: An extensive search was conducted in the English literature within the PubMed database using the following keywords: cutaneous metastasis or skin metastasis and cholangiocarcinoma or bile duct. The data of 30 patients from 21 articles from 1978 to 2014 were analyzed. Patient data retrieved from the articles included the following: age, gender, time cutaneous metastasis occurred, number of cutaneous metastases throughout life, sites of initial cutaneous metastasis, anatomic site, pathology and differentiation of cholangiocarcinoma, and immunohistochemical results of the cutaneous metastasis. The assessment of overall survival after cutaneous metastasis (OSCM) was the primary endpoint.
Results: The median age at diagnosis of cutaneous metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma was 60.0 years (range: 35-77). This metastasis showed a predilection towards males, with a male to female ratio of 3.29. In 8 cases (27.6%), skin metastasis was the first sign of cholangiocarcinoma. Additionally, 18 cases (60.0%) manifested single cutaneous metastasis, while 12 cases (40.0%) demonstrated multiple skin metastases. In 50.0% of patients, the metastasis occurred in the drainage region, while 50.0% of patients had distant cutaneous metastases. The scalp was the most frequently involved region of distant skin metastasis, occurring in 36.7% of patients. The median OSCM of cholangiocarcinoma was 4.0 mo. Patient age and cutaneous metastatic sites showed no significant relation with OSCM, while male gender and single metastasis of the skin were associated with a poorer OSCM (hazard ratio: 0.168; P = 0.005, and hazard ratio: 0.296; P = 0.011, respectively).
Conclusion: The prognosis of cutaneous metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma is dismal. Both male gender and single skin metastasis are associated with a poorer OSCM.
Keywords: Cholangiocarcinoma; Clinical characteristics; Cutaneous metastasis; Pathological features; Prognosis.