AIM:To delineate indications and limitations for “ex tended” radical cholecystectomy for gallbladder cancer:a procedure which was instituted in our department in 1982. METHODS:Of 145 patients who underwent a radi cal resection for gallbladder cancer from 1982 through 2006, 52 (36%) had an extended radical cholecystec tomy, which involved en bloc resection of the gallblad der, gallbladder fossa, extrahepatic bile duct, and the regional lymph nodes (first-and second-echelon node groups). A retrospective analysis of the 52 patients was conducted including at least 5 years of follow up. Residual tumor status was judged as no residual tumor (R0) or microscopic/macroscopic residual tumor (R1 2). athological findings were documented according tothe American Joint Committee on Cancer Cancer Stag ing anual (7th edition). RESULTS:he primary t mor as classified as patho-logical T1 (pT1) in 3 patients, pT2 in 36, pT3 in 12, and pT4 in 1. Twenty three patients had lymph node metastases; 11 had a single positive node, 4 had two positive nodes, and 8 had three or more positive nodes. None of the three patients with pT1 tumors had nodal disease, whereas 23 of 49 (47%) with pT2 or more advanced tumors had nodal disease. One patient died during the hospital stay for definitive resection, giv ing an in hospital mortality rate of 2%. Overall survival (OS) after extended radical cholecystectomy was 65% at 5 years and 53% at 10 years in all 52 patients. OS differed according to the p classification ( < 0.001) and the nodal status ( = 0.010). All of 3 patients with pT1 tumors and most (29 of 36) patients with pT2 tu mors survived for more than 5 years. Of 12 patients with pT3 tumors, 8 who had an R1 2 resection, distant metastasis, or extensive extrahepatic organ involve ment died soon after resection. Of the remaining four pT3 patients who had localized hepatic spread through the gallbladder fossa and underwent an R0 resection, 2 survived for more than 5 years and another survived for 4 years and 2 mo. The only patient with pT4 tumor died of disease soon after resection. Among 23 node positive patients, 11 survived for more than 5 years, and of these, 10 had a modest degree of nodal disease (one or two positive nodes). CONCLUSION:Extended radical cholecystectomy is indicated for pT2 tumors and some pT3 tumors with localized hepatic invasion, provided that the regional nodal disease is limited to a modest degree (up to two positive nodes). Extensive pT3 disease, pT4 disease, or marked nodal disease appears to be beyond the scope of this radical procedure. AIM: To delineate indications and limitations for “ex tended ” radical cholecystectomy for gallbladder cancer: a procedure which was instituted in our department in 1982. METHODS: Of 145 patients who underwent a radi cal resection for gallbladder cancer from 1982 through 2006 through 2006, 52 (36%) had an extended radical cholecystec tomy, which involved en bloc resection of the gallblad der, gallbladder fossa, extrahepatic bile duct, and the regional lymph nodes (first and second-echelon node groups). A retrospective analysis of the 52 patients was running including at least 5 years of follow up. Residual tumor status was judged as no residual tumor (R0) or microscopic / macroscopic residual tumor (R1 2). Athological findings were documented as tothe American Joint Committee on Cancer Cancer Staling anual (7th edition). RESULTS: he primary t mor as classified as patho-logical T1 (pT1) in 3 patients, pT2 in 36, pT3 in 12, and pT4 in 1. Twenty three patients had lymph node metastases; 11 had asingle positive node, 4 had two positive nodes, and 8 had three or more positive nodes. None of the three patients with pT1 tumors had nodal disease, but 23 of 49 (47%) with pT2 or more advanced tumors had nodal disease. One patient died during the hospital stay for definitive resection, giv ing an in hospital mortality rate of 2%. Overall survival (OS) after extended radical cholecystectomy was 65% at 5 years and 53% at 10 years in all 52 patients. All of 3 patients with pT1 tumors and most (29 of 36) patients with pT2 tu mors survived for more than 5 years. Of 12 patients with pT3 tumors, 8 who had an R1 2 resection, distant metastasis, or extensive extrahepatic tissue involvement died soon after resection. Of the remaining four pT3 patients who had localized hepatic spread through the gallbladder fossa and underwent an R0 resection, 2 survived for more than 5 years and another survived for4 years and 2 mo. The only patient with pT4 tumor died of disease soon after resection. Among 23 node positive patients, 11 survived for more than 5 years, and of these, 10 had a modest degree of nodal disease (one or two positive nodes). CONCLUSION: Extended radical cholecystectomy is indicated for pT2 tumors and some pT3 tumors with localized hepatic invasion, provided that the regional nodal disease is limited to a modest degree (up to two positive nodes). Extensive pT3 disease, pT4 disease, or marked nodal disease appears to be beyond the scope of this radical procedure.