title: Therapeutic approach to the malignant tumors of the biliary tract.
abstract: Cholangiocarcinomas (CCA) are malignant tumors that originate in the cholangiocytes, occur at any level of the biliary tract, are very aggressive and have a 5-year survival rate of 7-8%. Their diagnosis is late and difficult, and the prognosis is very poor. The only curative treatment of these tumors is the complete surgical resection. Signs of unresectability can be detected in most patients with CCA when establishing the diagnosis. Thus, only certain palliative measures can be employed in most cases. The ideal palliative method should be minimally invasive, accompanied by few complications, should offer an increased quality of life, require reduced hospitalization and the lowest costs. The palliative treatment of the obstructive jaundice may be achieved by means of surgical bypass, endoscopic insertion of biliary stents, percutaneous stents, transhepatic stents, photodynamic therapy and/or radio-chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Medical Clinic, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Romania. mihalache_fly@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Florentina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mihalache
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tantău
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iancu
authors.forename: Raluca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bodea
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Părău
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Acalovschi
mesh_terms: D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D017046:Cost Savings; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D041781:Jaundice, Obstructive / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D020379:Risk Adjustment; D015607:Stents / Q000592:standards; D015996:Survival Rate