Tumours of the bile ducts, Vater’s papilla and gallbladder

Abstract:

Neoplasms of the biliary tree and gallbladder account for a small share of total cancer burden. They are mostly adenocarcinomas and become clinically overt only in advanced stages of the disease, causing obstructive jaundice. Diagnostic procedure relies primarily on imaging methods, whereas laboratory tests are mostly non-specific. Primary objectives are to determine the primary site of the tumour and stage of disease, which substantially influence both the therapy and prognosis. The only potentially curative treatment is total surgical resection. Given that the recurrence of tumour is frequent, a wide range of clinical studies are performed to investigate the combination of chemotherapy and irradiation, which are part of routine treatment protocol in advanced stages of the disease. Despite the diagnostic and therapeutic advancements, long-term outcome and survival rate of these patients are still unsatisfying.

Key words:
adenoma; adenocarcinoma; ampulla of Vater; cholangiocarcinoma; cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic retrograde; endosonography; gallbladder neoplasms; stents