Background: Adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) is a rare tumor of the liver, which carries a poor prognosis. In this study, we reviewed reported cases of ASC and examined their clinicopathologic features.
Materials and methods: A computer MEDLINE search found 65 histologically defined primary ASC cases reported in the literature from 1975 to 2003, including our case. Of these, detailed data were obtained for 42 cases, and these were subsequently investigated clinicopathologically.
Results: Among the 42 cases, 34 were reported to have died of ASC and 5 cases were alive at the time of the study. The mean survival of these 34 cases was 8.7 months. Multivariate analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis and the elevation of total bilirubin were associated with poor survival after surgery, and lymph node metastasis, intrahepatic metastasis, location of tumor in the right lobe, and the pathologic stage were significant factors for all cases.
Conclusion: The current study highlights the prognostic factors of ASC of the liver, showing that the prognosis for patients with ASC is poor.