Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma as an aetiologically distinct type of biliary cancer
1
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
2
Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
Submission date: 2025-02-05
Acceptance date: 2025-08-09
Online publication date: 2026-09-18
Corresponding author
Grzegorz Boryczka
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a heterogeneous group of biliary cancers showing different clinical characteristics. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is rare disease clinically different from other biliary malignancies.
Aim of the research:
The purpose of this study was to provide clinical characteristics of iCCA in comparison to perihilar CCA (pCCA), extrahepatic CCA (eCCA), gallbladder cancer (gCA) and ampullary cancer (aCA).
Material and methods:
A total of 104 patients aged 36 to 89 years with histologically confirmed CCA, hospitalised in the tertiary gastroenterological centre between 2018 and 2022, were retrospectively analysed in terms of demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, and survival.
Results:
Patients with iCCA (n = 18) were younger in comparison to patients with other biliary cancers (62.8 ±10.9 vs. 70.1 ±10.2 years; p < 0.05), had significantly higher BMI (27.0 ±4.9 vs. 24.5 ±3.6 kg/m2; p < 0.05), and higher prevalence of liver steatosis (22.2% vs. 7.05%; p < 0.05). Weight loss and right epigastric pain were leading signs of iCCA, but low intensity of pain (median NRS 2.0 vs. 4.5; p < 0.05) and low incidence of jaundice (22.2% vs. 61.8%; p < 0.05) were responsible for delayed diagnosis of liver tumour, which at initial presentation was large (63.2 ±29.2 mm), and commonly associated with metastases to regional lymph nodes or peritoneum (94.4%).
Conclusions:
Intrahepatic CCA is a distinct disease among other biliary cancers, favourably arising in steatotic liver in overweight patients. The prognosis in iCCA is poor due to delayed diagnosis resulting from insidious tumour growth.
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a heterogeneous group of biliary cancers showing different clinical characteristics. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is rare disease clinically different from other biliary malignancies.
Aim of the research:
The purpose of this study was to provide clinical characteristics of iCCA in comparison to perihilar CCA (pCCA), extrahepatic CCA (eCCA), gallbladder cancer (gCA) and ampullary cancer (aCA).
Material and methods:
A total of 104 patients aged 36 to 89 years with histologically confirmed CCA, hospitalised in the tertiary gastroenterological centre between 2018 and 2022, were retrospectively analysed in terms of demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, and survival.
Results:
Patients with iCCA (n = 18) were younger in comparison to patients with other biliary cancers (62.8 ±10.9 vs. 70.1 ±10.2 years; p < 0.05), had significantly higher BMI (27.0 ±4.9 vs. 24.5 ±3.6 kg/m2; p < 0.05), and higher prevalence of liver steatosis (22.2% vs. 7.05%; p < 0.05). Weight loss and right epigastric pain were leading signs of iCCA, but low intensity of pain (median NRS 2.0 vs. 4.5; p < 0.05) and low incidence of jaundice (22.2% vs. 61.8%; p < 0.05) were responsible for delayed diagnosis of liver tumour, which at initial presentation was large (63.2 ±29.2 mm), and commonly associated with metastases to regional lymph nodes or peritoneum (94.4%).
Conclusions:
Intrahepatic CCA is a distinct disease among other biliary cancers, favourably arising in steatotic liver in overweight patients. The prognosis in iCCA is poor due to delayed diagnosis resulting from insidious tumour growth.
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| eISSN: | 2300-6722 |
| ISSN: | 1899-1874 |
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