Objective: To explore the diagnosis and treatment of the cholangiocarcinoma.
Methods: Forty one patients with cholangiocarcinoma who were enrolled in our hospital from January 1970 to January 2005 were retrospectively analyzed.
Results: Among these 41 patients, the 1, 3, and 5-year survival rate was 82.3%, 45.8%, 45.8%, respectively, with radical operation, and was 11.0%, 0, 0 with non-radical operation (chi2 = 21.38, P < 0.01). The 1-year and 3-year survival rate was 11.0% and 0 in 9 patients treated with laparatomy, which was not significantly different from those treated with non-radical operation (chi2 = 0.02, P = 0.89). Four patients did not receive operation and all died within one year. Among 25 patients who did not experience lymph node metastasis, the 1, 3, and 5-year survival rate was 58.4%, 27.3%, and 27.3%. Among 16 patients who were found lymph node metastasis, the 1-year and 3-year survival rate was 61.8% and 0 (chi2 = 13.85, P < 0.01).
Conclusion: Operation is the most effective treatment for cholangiocarcinoma. Radical operation is the only curative treatment.