Clinicopathological features of early distal cholangiocarcinoma

Background/Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological features of early distal cholangiocarcinoma compared with advanced tumors. Methodology: 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.