Staging of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) comprises approximately 5-30% of primary liver tumors, however it has been increasing over the last several decades. Up to and including the 6(th) edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union for International Cancer Control (AJCC/UICC) edition staging system, ICC was staged the same as hepatocellular carcinoma. In the 7(th) edition AJCC/UICC manual, the staging system of ICC was revised such that a distinct classification was proposed. Pathologic features for prognosis included vascular invasion, tumor multiplicity, local extension, periductal infiltration and lymph nodal metastasis. Over the last decade, as the incidence of ICC has increased and surgery for this indication has become more common, more data has been published on the prognostic factors associated with long-term survival.