Inflammatory diseases of the biliary system are important risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Among them, chronic inflammation-related conditions such as choledocholithiasis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, Caroli disease, and liver fluke infection have been identified as major precursor diseases of CCA, with chronic inflammation being the key driver of malignant transformation of benign biliary diseases. This article reviews the association between the aforementioned precursor diseases and CCA, focusing on elaborating that chronic inflammation promotes abnormal cell proliferation by releasing relevant cytokines and activating multiple signaling pathways. Meanwhile, oxidative stress leading to cumulative DNA damage, immune evasion, and imbalance of the tumor microenvironment also contribute to the carcinogenesis process. Common related biliary inflammatory diseases further include cholelithiasis, biliary cysts, and fibrocystic liver disease, whose pathological changes such as chronic inflammatory status and cholestasis increase the risk of carcinogenesis through multiple pathways. Currently, the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases still face challenges such as difficulty in early diagnosis and limitations in therapeutic approaches. In-depth exploration of the association between biliary inflammation and CCA may provide a theoretical basis for the early prevention, precise treatment, and prognosis improvement of CCA.