Current status of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

World J Gastroenterol. 2008 Nov 7;14(41):6289-97. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.6289.

Abstract

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a rare primary liver cancer with a global increasing trend in recent years. Symptoms tend to be vague and insidious in development, often are diagnosed at an advanced stage when only palliative approaches can be used with a median survival rate of months. Comparing with HCC, ICC tends to spread to lymph nodes early, and is rarely limited to the regional lymph nodes, with a frequent postoperative recurrence. Surgery is the only choice of curative therapy for ICC, but recently no consensus has been established for operation. Thus, more data from multiple centers and more cases are needed. Generally speaking, current adjunctive therapy cannot clearly improve survival. Further research is needed to find more effective radio- and chemotherapeutic regimens.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bile Duct Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Bile Duct Neoplasms* / mortality
  • Bile Duct Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic* / pathology
  • Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic* / surgery
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Cholangiocarcinoma* / diagnosis
  • Cholangiocarcinoma* / mortality
  • Cholangiocarcinoma* / surgery
  • Cholangiocarcinoma* / therapy
  • Hepatectomy
  • Humans
  • Liver Transplantation
  • Lymph Node Excision
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Neoadjuvant Therapy
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Treatment Outcome