Cholangiocarcinoma: early detection and screening in high-risk population

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly lethal malignancy that comprises approximately 15% of all the primary liver tumors and 3% gastrointestinal cancers. Diagnosis often done when disease already at advanced stages, resulting in poor outcomes. Prevention risk factors early diagnosis are cornerstones for improving survival. Early feasible setting surveillance programs patients high CCA such as with sclerosing cholangitis. Regrettably, this population hampered by low diagnostic accuracy current tumor markers earlier difficulties imaging techniques differential between benign malignant biliary strictures, need invasive procedures confirmation. In review we discuss rationale high-risk populations, particularly cholangitis, recommended tools work-up, future perspectives.