Better staging for tailored treatment of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinomas, malignant tumors arising from the ductal epithelium of the biliary tree, are classified as either intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) or extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC) according to its anatomical location. Alternatively, they can be divided into mass-forming, periductal-infiltrating, and intraductal-growing tumor depending on macroscopic appearance. The vast majority of ICCs are mass-forming and mass-forming-periductal-infiltrating mixed tumors, whereas ECCs are presented as periductal-infiltrating or intraductal-growing tumors. The hepatic hilum, the junction of the right and left hepatic ducts, is a common site of tumor development.