What is the Klatskin tumor?
and Klatskin tumor is a tumor that is formed in the upper area of the bile ducts where the left and right bile canals meet. This type of tumor is rare. The prognosis for the patient depends on the size of the tumor at the time of the diagnosis, be it left and right bile ducts and the general physical condition of the patient. Health patients with small, minimally involved tumors can recover while others may have a more grim prognosis. An experienced physician may evaluate the situation and discuss the prognosis with the patient, including a prognosis with different treatment options.
This tumor is a type of cholangiocarcinoma or bile ducts. The causes of bile ducts are not known, although people with cystic liver diseases, Crohn's diseases and other gastrointestinal diseases seem to be at increased risk of cholangiocarcinoma development such as Klatskin tumors. The tumor is named for the doctor who first described in 1965. They haveSymptoms such as weight loss, abdominal pain, dark urine and clay stool. Klatskin tumor can be visible during medical imaging studies of liver and bile ducts. Liver biopsy will show malignant cells.
The best treatment of Klatskin tumor is the resection in which the tumor is removed, with clean edges to remove any malignant cells that can be associated with Klatskin tumor. This operation is performed under general anesthesia. Adjuvant therapy, such as chemotherapy and radiation, is usually not recommended with surgery. If there is no surgery due to the level of tumor involvement, chemotherapy and radiation can be considered, although such tumors often do not respond too much to non -surgical treatment.
When the patient is diagnosed with a tumor of Klatskin, it is useful to obtain as much information about the tumor as possible. The doctor should be able to discuss the placement of the tumor, the risksAnd the advantages of surgery and whether the candidate can be a good candidate for other treatment options. Since such tumors are rare, there are no large number of research on them, but cancer scientists can and work with cholangiocarcinomas and possibilities such as drug studies can be available for patients who are willing and interested. Patients should note that people with co -morbidities may not be admitted to drug experiments.