Kirkik D, Ozabaci AN, Kalkanli Tas S. Changing patterns of cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer: A regional perspective from Northeastern Italy. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2025; 17(9): 108578 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i9.108578]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Duygu Kirkik, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology, Hamidiye Medicine Faculty, University of Health Sciences, Mekteb-i Tıbbiyye-i Şâhane (Haydarpaşa) Külliyesi Selimiye Mah Tıbbiye Cad No. 38, Istanbul 34668, Türkiye. dygkirkik@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Sep 15, 2025; 17(9): 108578 Published online Sep 15, 2025. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i9.108578
Changing patterns of cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer: A regional perspective from Northeastern Italy
Duygu Kirkik, Ayse Naz Ozabaci, Sevgi Kalkanli Tas
Duygu Kirkik, Sevgi Kalkanli Tas, Department of Immunology, Hamidiye Medicine Faculty, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul 34668, Türkiye
Ayse Naz Ozabaci, Department of Immunology, University of Health and Science, Istanbul 34674, Türkiye
Author contributions: Kirkik D contributed to the conceptualization, literature review, writing - original draft preparation, and data interpretation; Ozabaci AN participated in the writing - review and editing; Kalkanli Tas S was involved in the supervision, validation, project administration, and final approval of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Duygu Kirkik, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology, Hamidiye Medicine Faculty, University of Health Sciences, Mekteb-i Tıbbiyye-i Şâhane (Haydarpaşa) Külliyesi Selimiye Mah Tıbbiye Cad No. 38, Istanbul 34668, Türkiye. dygkirkik@gmail.com
Received: April 18, 2025 Revised: May 22, 2025 Accepted: July 21, 2025 Published online: September 15, 2025 Processing time: 150 Days and 20.6 Hours
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second most common primary liver cancer worldwide, with a high mortality rate. Due to the lack of information regarding disease markers, characterization tools, and early detection methods, mortality continues to increase. The disease can be classified into two main groups: Intrahepatic CCA and extrahepatic CCA, the second of which is further subdivided into perihilar CCA and distal CCA. Certain regions are found to be at higher risk due to the presence of different contributing factors. These include hepatobiliary diseases, extrahepatic conditions, and environmental exposures. CCA shows a sex-related disparity, affecting men more than women, and its incidence rises progressively with age. These risk factors likely contribute to the rising incidence observed in certain regions, as each region is predominantly affected by distinct factors, resulting in wide geographical variations in CCA incidence. Epidemiological reports published before 2000 indicate a global increase in the incidence of intrahepatic CCA, whereas the incidence of extrahepatic CCA is reportedly decreasing. The present study offers an important epidemiological perspective by analyzing the incidence trends of gallbladder malignancies over a 17-year period in Northeastern Italy, analyzed according to sex and age groups.
Core Tip: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an aggressive biliary tract malignancy with rising incidence, particularly of intrahepatic CCA, in many regions worldwide. Despite its relatively low overall incidence, CCA poses a major public health concern due to late diagnosis and poor prognosis. This study highlights shifting epidemiological trends over a 17-year period in Northeastern Italy, emphasizing declining hospitalization rates for both intrahepatic and extrahepatic CCA, despite global projections of increased incidence and mortality. The findings underscore the importance of ongoing, population-based surveillance to evaluate evolving risk patterns, sex- and age-related disparities, and regional healthcare responses, essential to guide future preventive and diagnostic strategies.
