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The Treatment of Cholangiocarcinoma: a Hepatologist’s Perspective

  • Pancreas and Biliary Tract (O Haluszka, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare but lethal adenocarcinoma with cholangiocyte differentiation that arises within the biliary tree at variable locations. Curative options are available in the form of surgical resection and/or liver transplantation (LT) in early stage CCA; however, these are offered to a small fraction of patients as they are usually asymptomatic and remain undiagnosed. Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a well-known risk factor of CCA, and cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, and metabolic syndrome are recently identified as risk factors of CCA. This emerging evidence places hepatologists in a vital position to diagnose, prognosticate, and manage CCA by planning treatment of each individual patient based on the stage and extent of malignancy. With appropriate selection of patients and the involvement of a multidisciplinary team, surgical resection of localized CCA, LT coupled with neoadjuvant chemoradiation for perihilar CCA, or locoregional or systemic chemotherapy and/or endoscopic interventions for advanced CCA can be offered.

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Kamran Qureshi, Randhir Jesudoss, and Abdullah M. S. Al-Osaimi declare no conflict of interest.

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  1. Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Temple University Health System, 3440 N. Broad Street, Kresge Building West, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA

    Kamran Qureshi, Randhir Jesudoss & Abdullah M. S. Al-Osaimi

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  1. Kamran Qureshi
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Correspondence to Abdullah M. S. Al-Osaimi.

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Qureshi, K., Jesudoss, R. & Al-Osaimi, A.M.S. The Treatment of Cholangiocarcinoma: a Hepatologist’s Perspective. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 16, 412 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11894-014-0412-2

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