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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 14, 2007; 13(10): 1500-1504
Published online Mar 14, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i10.1500
Multi-disciplinary treatment for cholangiocellular carcinoma
Mitsugi Shimoda, Keiichi Kubota
Mitsugi Shimoda, Keiichi Kubota, Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kita Kobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Mitsugi Shimoda, MD, PhD, Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kita Kobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan. mshimoda@dokkyomed.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-282-872158 Fax: +81-282-866317
Received: August 8, 2006
Revised: December 1, 2006
Accepted: August 22, 2007
Published online: March 14, 2007
Abstract

Cholangiocarcinoma (CC) is rare malignant tumors composed of cells that resemble those of the biliary tract. It is notoriously difficult to diagnose, and is associated with a high mortality. Traditionally, CC is divided into intrahepatic and extraheaptic disease according to its location within the biliary tree. Intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (IH-CCC) or peripheral cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC) appears within the second bifurcation of hepatic bile duct, and is the second most common primary liver cancer following hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), IH-CCC or peripheral CCC often presents with advanced clinical features, and the cause for this cancer rise is still unclear. MRI, CT and PET provide useful diagnostic information in those patients. Surgical resection is the only chance for cure, with results depending on selected patients and careful surgical technique. Liver transplantation could offer long-term survival in selected patients when combined with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy or combination therapies remain as the only treatment for inoperable patients. However, these are uniformly ineffective in patients’ survival.

Keywords: Cholangiocellular carcinoma; Surgical resection; Liver transplantation; Chemotherapy; Radiation