RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare malignant tumor that may occur anywhere along intra or extrahepatic biliary tree. Prognosis remains poor with overall 5-year survival rate of 5%. Experience in management of this lesion in Mexico is scarce. Our objective was to report on our experience at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología in Mexico City with the management of this lesion. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of clinical files of patients diagnosed and treated in a period of 10 years was performed. Epidemiologic data, forms of diagnosis, results of management, and survival were analyzed. RESULTS: From June 1992 to June 2002, 36 patients were diagnosed and treated; 25 patients had perihilar tumor (Klatskin tumor) and 11 had peripheral cholangiocarcinoma. Twenty seven were females (75%) and nine males (25%). Abdominal pain was the main symptom (72%) followed by jaundice (65%) and weight lost (59%). Computed tomography was the most used imaging study (86%); surgery was main form of management (72%). No survivors were observed in patients nor receiving treatment after a follow-up of 3 years. For those resected, an 18%, 5-year survival was observed. CONCLUSIONS: This lesion was more frequent in females between fifth and seventh decades of life and no relation with ulcerative colitis or primary sclerosing cholangitis was observed in our study. Surgery is still the best form of management but prognosis remains poor.
