Research advances in palliative treatment of cholangiocarcinoma / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

Although radical resection is the only method to cure cholangiocarcinoma, most patients are in the advanced stage at the time of diagnosis and miss the best time for surgery. The palliative treatment focusing on biliary drainage reconstruction can improve patients′ quality of life and prolong survival time. This article introduces the latest advances in palliative treatment for cholangiocarcinoma in recent years. Patients can benefit from the treatment methods such as biliary stenting and palliative surgery. Local and systemic adjuvant therapies are also indispensible, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and immunotherapy, but their therapeutic effects await further investigation. With the continuous development of basic research and medical techniques, the traditional therapeutic methods will be constantly improved. The new therapeutic methods targeting the pathogenesis of cholangiocarcinoma will also play an important role and bring benefits to the patients.