Daniel V.T. Catenacci

Whether or not cholangiocarcinoma can go into remission is a question that has been debated for years. However, new treatments and survival stories show hope for those with this cancer. Several new treatments for cholangiocarcinoma are under development but still in the experimental stage. This type of cancer is rare in Western countries but is more common in Asia. Cholangiocarcinoma develops in the liver's bile duct system, a series of tubes. This system helps the body break down fats and bile aids digestion. However, cholangiocarcinoma is often fatal. It has a five-year survival rate of less than 25%. It is not curable and can return in 60% to 70% of patients within five years. Researchers are working to find new treatments for cholangiocarcinoma by studying how cancer grows. One of the approaches is to target specific changes in cancer cells. These changes are known as mutations. The researchers are also looking at the possibility of using immunotherapy. In immunotherapy, the b...

Cholangiocarcinoma can be treated with chemotherapy. One method, called transarterial chemoembolization , uses a catheter to put tiny beads of chemotherapy medicine into the blood vessels that feed the tumor. The chemo drugs are then released from the beads, shrinking the tumor. Another way to treat liver cancer is to surgically implant a pump that sends chemo drugs straight into the main blood vessel going to the liver. Both of these ways have been shown to work in reducing the size of tumors. However, there are still some unanswered questions about how well these treatments work. Cholangiocarcinoma is a tumor of the bile ducts in the small intestine. It can be treated with chemotherapy. Even though surgery is the primary treatment, chemotherapy is also used after surgery to lower the chance of cancer coming back. It can also help get rid of any small tumors. Not much is known about the benefits of chemotherapy yet, but the treatment can help people get better. Most of the time, chemo...