How is common bile duct cancer staged? Using TNM staging

The staging of common bile duct cancer is mainly based on the anatomical location and can be divided into intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, hilar cholangiocarcinoma, and distal cholangiocarcinoma. The TNM staging system can also be used, where the T stage mainly refers to the tumor tissue infiltrating the gallbladder wall and adjacent organs, the N stage refers to lymph node metastasis, and the M stage refers to distant organ metastasis.

The incidence of common bile duct cancer has been increasing year by year, and there are many patients who have been diagnosed clinically. At this time, the most important thing is to find a reasonable and effective treatment in time to control cancer and prevent further spread and metastasis. However, patients need to be staged before treatment, so how is common bile duct cancer staged?
1. What is common bile duct cancer? <br/>Choledochocarcinoma is actually the abbreviation of bile duct malignant tumor, which mainly occurs in the extrahepatic bile duct from the confluence of the hepatic duct to the lower end of the common bile duct. The incidence population is mainly concentrated in middle-aged and elderly people between the ages of 50 and 70. In order to better analyze the patient's condition and formulate a reasonable treatment method, common bile duct cancer is often staged clinically.
How is common bile duct cancer staged?
1. Staging by anatomical location <br/>The staging of cholangiocarcinoma is relatively complicated, and its staging standards vary. At present, the more common clinical staging method is based on the anatomical location, which can be specifically divided into intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, hilar cholangiocarcinoma, and distal cholangiocarcinoma. This is mainly because the surrounding adjacent structures of common bile duct cancer occurring in different parts are also different. Among them, the lesions of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma are mainly in the liver, and the main metastasis is intrahepatic metastasis. The latter two are extrahepatic bile ducts, and the metastasis method is lymph node metastasis.
2.TNM staging
(1) T stage <br/>Choledochocarcinoma can be staged according to the TNM method. If the tumor tissue has infiltrated the gallbladder wall and invaded adjacent organs, it can be classified as T stage, and can be further divided into T1, T2 and T3 stages according to the metastasis. At this time, laparoscopic cholecystectomy or extended radical resection of gallbladder cancer can be chosen for treatment, which generally can achieve a better prognosis.
(2) N stage <br/>The N stage of cholangiocarcinoma refers to the occurrence of lymph node metastasis, which can be hepatoduodenal and distant lymph node quasi-metastasis. At this time, at least three areas of lymph nodes, including the portal vein, duodenum and surrounding areas, and pancreatic head, need to be histologically examined to determine whether it is N1 or N2 stage.
(3) M phase
The M stage indicates metastasis to distant organs, the most common of which are abdominal and liver metastases, which can be confirmed with the help of pathology and laparoscopy.