Surgical Approach to the Treatment of Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare but lethal malignancy arising anywhere along the biliary ductal epithelium from the liver to the duodenum. The disease is classified based on anatomic location, and the mainstay of treatment is surgery. Complete resection is currently the only chance for cure despite significant advances in systemic and other nonsurgical therapies. In this chapter, we present a detailed evaluation of the anatomic classification of cholangiocarcinoma and preoperative evaluation, defining resectability, types of resections, and postoperative outcomes. Special attention is given to advances in the field and the future of surgery in the multidisciplinary management of cholangiocarcinoma.