Bile Duct Cancer Facts

• There are approximately 6000 new cases of bile duct cancer per year in the U.S.¹
• Intrahepatic bile duct (cholangiocarcinoma) is one of 7 cancers with the fastest rising incidence rates.^2-4
• Bile duct tumors are common in Japan, Taiwan and Thailand.^3,5
• Fewer than 10% of are surgical candidates because most have advanced tumors.⁷
• Two chemotherapy drugs, gemcitabine and cisplatin, are the standard of care 1^st  line treatment for bile duct cancer that is unresectable.⁸
• National Cancer Institute funding FY 2011: none listed

Right: CT of the abdomen showing "mass forming" intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the right lobe of the liver.

1. Siegel R, Naishadham D, Jemal A: Cancer statistics, 2012. CA Cancer J Clin 62:10-29, 2012

2. Simard EP, Ward, E., Siegel,R., Jemal, A.: Cancers With Increasing Trends in the United States: 1999 Through 2008. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 62:118-128, 2012.

3. Chang KY, Chang JY, Yen Y: Increasing incidence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and its relationship to chronic viral hepatitis. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 7:423-7, 2009.

4. Patel T: Increasing incidence and mortality of primary intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the United States. Hepatology 33:1353-7, 2001.

5. Shin HR, Oh JK, Masuyer E, et al: Comparison of incidence of intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma--focus on East and South-Eastern Asia. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 11:1159-66, 2010

6. Farges O, Fuks D: Clinical presentation and management of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Gastroenterol Clin Biol 34:191-9, 2010

7. Konstadoulakis MM, Roayaie S, Gomatos IP, et al: Fifteen-year, single-center experience with the surgical management of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: operative results and long-term outcome. Surgery 143:366-74, 2008

8. Valle J et al: Cisplatin plus Gemcitabine versus Gemcitabine for Biliary Tract Cancer. N Engl J Med 2012; 362:1273-1231

Last Updated on 10/17/2012 3:57:28 PM