Abstract:Objective To retrospectively analyze the clinical data of combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (CHCC) with different dominant tumor cells, and to explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis of CHCC. Methods The clinical data of 38 patients with CHCC were divided into 3 groups according to their dominant cell types: a group A (HCC dominant group, 18 cases), a group B (ICC dominant group, 13 cases), and a group C (mixed group, 7 cases). The clinical features and prognosis of each group of patients were studied and compared. Results There were no significant differences in age, sex, hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection, tumor number or diameter, cirrhosis or Child-Pugh classification among the 3 groups (P > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative data such as surgical type, microscopic vessel invasion, portal vein/bile duct invasion, number of satellite nodules, lymph node metastasis, postoperative immunohistochemical staining or AJCC staging among the 3 groups (P > 0.05). AFP value in the group A was significantly higher than that in the group B and the group C (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the 1-year tumor-free survival rates (42.1%, 62.7% and 45.7% respectively, P > 0.05) or the 1-year overall survival rates (69.3%, 76.2% and 68.6% respectively, P > 0.05). Conclusions Whether or not there is a difference in the proportion of dominant tumor cells in the tumor, CHCC is a malignant primary liver cancer with similar clinical characteristics and poor prognosis. Major hepatectomy is the most preferred method of treatment at the present stage.