Cholangioarcinoma is a rare but dreadful malignancy which poses much difficulties in the management. If detected early with only localized disease, curative resection is possible. However, most patients present in the late stages of the disease, which are managed with endoscopic biliary drainage and/or chemoradiation. Liver transplantation offers a possibility for cure in the distal and the perihilar tumors for selected candidates. Local treatments, such as hepatic artery-based therapies, brachytherapy, and photodynamic therapy, may offer some benefit in cases of the advanced disease. In this review, we will assess the role of preoperative biliary drainage, how best to drain biliary obstruction, and the intricate details of various treatments that are currently available.
Brachytherapy ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Cholestasis ; Drainage ; Endosonography ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; Photochemotherapy ; Self Expandable Metallic Stents

Cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary hepatic malignancy and its incidence is increasing worldwide. Classification and staging of intrahepatic, perihilar, and distal cholangiocarcinomas provide useful prognostic information and further guide in their management. Establishing diagnosis is frequently challenging and may require a multi-modality approach that includes advanced radiological imaging studies and procedures for tissue acquisition; the endoscopic procedures that have been utilized in the management of cholangiocarcinoma comprise endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with brushing and biopsy, endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration, cholangioscopy with targeted biopsy, and intraductal confocal endomicroscopy. In this review, we will examine the strengths and limitations of each diagnostic tool and assess the serum and bile tumor markers.
Bile ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Biopsy ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholestasis ; Classification ; Diagnosis* ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration ; Endosonography ; Incidence ; Positron-Emission Tomography