Current surgical treatment for cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

Surgical resection is the curative treatment for biliary tract cancer. Biliary tract cancer is classified into hilar cholangiocarcinoma, distal cholangiocarcinoma, duodenal papilla cancer, gallbladder cancer, etc., but hilar cholangiocarcinoma is the most difficult to operate. There are many technique-dependent and highly invasive surgeries such as resection and reconstruction with vascular (hepatic artery/portal vein) resection and reconstruction and hepatopancreatoduodenectomy, but the results have improved in recent years. The progress of drug therapy for biliary tract cancer is also remarkable. Development of new therapies combined with chemotherapy, such as conversion surgery for patients who responded to chemotherapy for unresectable biliary tract cancer and preoperative chemotherapy for resectable biliary tract cancer, is also expected. This paper clarifies the current status of surgical treatment for biliary tract cancer, especially hilar cholangiocarcinoma, and also describes future prospects.