Diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma: A consensus from surgical specialists of China

Cholangiocarcinoma refers to malignant tumors that develop in epithelial lining of biliary system, and it is divided into two categories according to tumor location, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC). ICC occurs from the epithelial cells of the intrahepatic bile duct, its branches and interlobular biliary tree; and ECC is divided into hilar cholangiocarcinoma and distal cholangiocarcinoma by the circumscription at the confluence of cystic duct and the common hepatic duct. During the past 10 years, the incidence of cholangiocarcinoma kept increasing, in which ICC accounts for 20%-25%, hilar cholangiocarcinoma about 50%-60%, and distal extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma about 20%-25%([1-3]). The guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma have been established and revised several times in past 10 years. In 2010, ICC was separated from hepatic cancer by the 7th version of TNM Staging System (American Joint Committee on Cancer, AJCC). In response to this new situation, it is necessary to develop a consensus on diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma in China. This draft aims at summarizing the views on the diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma of the surgical experts from more than 30 medical centers in China, and laying down a foundation for establishing a guideline on diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma in China.Biochemistry & Molecular BiologySCI(E)0ARTICLEchenxp@medmail.com.cn4469-4753