title: Clinicopathological features of early distal cholangiocarcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological features of early distal cholangiocarcinoma compared with advanced tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study of 45 patients who underwent resection for distal cholangiocarcinoma. There were 17 cases of early and 28 cases of advanced tumors. Data on demographic and clinical features, surgical procedures, and pathological diagnoses were collected retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperative mean serum levels of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase were statistically different between the early and advanced groups. There were no significant differences in the diameter of the common hepatic duct between groups, and there were significant differences in all tests but intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS) in tumor detection, meaning that IDUS is a very useful modality for detecting early and advanced cancer although early cancer is difficult to detect using other modalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that early cancer detection will generally lead to better prognosis. Further studies are needed, and efforts should continue to identify patients with suspicious findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Saiseikai Yokohamashi Tobu Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kenmochi
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Egawa
authors.forename: Shinobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001663:Bilirubin