Cholangiocarcinoma is a Type of Epithelial Cell Cancer that Arises in Various Regions of the Biliary Tract and has Cholangiocyte Differentiation Markers
Cholangiocarcinoma is a term used to describe a group of tumors that start in the bile ducts. The liver and gallbladder are connected to the small intestine via bile ducts, which are branching tubes. They transport bile, a fluid that aids in the digestion of lipids in the diet. Bile is produced in the liver and held in the gallbladder before being discharged into the small intestine following a meal.
Cholangiocarcinoma is categorized according to where it occurs on the liver. Intrahepatic bile duct cancer starts in the liver's tiny bile ducts. This is the disease's least frequent form, accounting for less than 10% of all cases. The hilum is where the right and left major bile ducts unite and leave the liver, and this is where perihilar bile duct cancer (also known as a Klatskin tumor) originates. More than half of all cases of the disease are caused by this type. Distal bile duct cancer, which starts in bile ducts outside the liver, constitutes the remaining instances. Extrahepatic bile duct cancer is a term that refers to both the perihilar and distal types of the illness, which both arise outside the liver.
In its early stages, the three forms of Cholangiocarcinoma do not usually cause any symptoms, and the cancer is usually not recognized until it has spread beyond the bile ducts to other tissues. When the tumor blocks the bile ducts, it causes symptoms. Jaundice is the most prevalent symptom, which causes the skin and whites of the eyes to turn yellow. Excessive weariness (fatigue), itching, dark-colored urine, loss of appetite, accidental weight loss, abdominal pain, and light-colored and oily stools are some of the other symptoms. These symptoms are called "nonspecific" because they can appear in a variety of conditions.
Cholangiocarcinoma is most commonly found in adults over the age of 65. It's difficult to treat this cancer properly because it's typically not identified until it's already spread. Depending on the location of the disease and how advanced it is, people can live for months to years after being diagnosed.
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