The risk factors and diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CC) is a generally fatal malignancy of the biliary tree. Its incidence is increasing worldwide. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of CC frequently occurs late in the course of the disease, which contributes to the high mortality rate. Securing the diagnosis can prove difficult and may require a combination of imaging modalities, serum markers, and tissue sampling. Even with current best practice accurate diagnosis and staging is often elusive. We review current trends in the epidemiology of CC, current best practice in its diagnosis, and some of the emerging technologies and systems that may lead to improved diagnosis, staging, and, perhaps, outcome.