Cholangiocarcinoma: new insights into disease pathogenesis and biology.

Cholangiocarcinomas are rare malignant tumors whose incidence is increasing worldwide. Risk factors for this malignancy include both infectious and non-infectious diseases characterized by chronic inflammation of the bile duct epithelia. Diagnosis of these cancers remains difficult because of the lack of sensitive diagnostic tests. The prognosis is poor probably because of the lack of effective treatments for unresectable cancer.