Prognostic Impact of Peritoneal Washing Cytology in Biliary Tract Cancer: Negative PWC Predicts Longer Survival

Patients with resectable biliary tract cancer (BTC) who had negative peritoneal washing cytology (PWC) exhibited longer recurrence-free survival and overall survival compared to those with positive PWC. Among the analyzed patients, ampullary carcinoma showed uniformly negative PWC. Serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 level over 80 u/ml and multiple lymph node metastasis were independent factors associated with positive PWC. These findings suggest that negative PWC predicts better prognosis in BTC patients undergoing curative treatment.