Cholangiocarcinoma: a guide for the nonspecialist

Munirah Alsaleh,1 Zoe Leftley,1 Thomas A Barbera,1 Paiboon Sithithaworn,2 Narong Khuntikeo,2 Watcharin Loilome,2 Puangrat Yongvanit,2 I Jane Cox,3 Nittaya Chamodol,2 Richard RA Syms,4 Ross H Andrews,1,2 Simon D Taylor-Robinson1 1Division of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London W2 INY, UK; 2Cholangiocarcinoma Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; 3Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, London SE5 9NT, UK; 4Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK Abstract: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a tumor with increasing prevalence around the world. The prevalence of CCA is highest in East Asia and most significantly in the countries through which the Mekong River flows, owing to the presence of liver flukes, which are consumed in raw fish dishes. Outside Asia, the causes of bile duct cancers for the most part are unknown. In this review, we assess the current state of knowledge in both fluke-associated and sporadic CCA, from etiological, diagnostic, and treatment perspectives. Keywords: cholangiocarcinoma, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, bile duct