An analysis of 680 cases of cholangiocarcinoma from 8 hospitals.
BACKGROUND
The outcome of patients with cholangiocarcinoma is poor. To evaluate the experience in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of cholangiocarcinoma, we investigated the status quo of diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma in China.


METHODS
The clinical data of 680 patients with cholangiocarcinoma treated at 8 hospitals from 1995 to 2001 were retrospectively analyzed with SPSS software package.


RESULTS
The incidence of the tumor was the highest in the age group of 60-65 years. Meanwhile, the incidence was higher in aged men than in aged women, with a male to female ratio of 1.39:1. Proximal cholangiocarcinoma was the commonest (41.6%) and distant cholangiocarcinoma the second (28.7%) in the 680 patients. B-mode ultrasonography for cholangiocarcinoma was performed in 80.3% of the patients. Non-traumatic examinations such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance image (MRI) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) were more widely used than that of traumatic examinations such as percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The low- and middle-differentiation cancer of the proximal bile duct accounted for about 50%. Most of the patients suffered from late-stage cholangiocarcinoma. The resection rate of the tumor was low, and the rate of radical operation was only 21.6% (147/680).


CONCLUSIONS
Cholangiocarcinoma is common in the aged men. Its diagnosis and treatment have been improved, but little. Most patients are diagnosed as having late-stage cholangiocarcinoma at the time of outpatient clinic, and the rate of radical operation is low. Therefore, it is necessary to reinforce the early diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma to improve the outcome after operation.
Liu
Xiao-Fang
XF
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai 264000, China. liu634@263.net
Zhou
Xian-Ting
XT
Zou
Sheng-Quan
SQ
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography