[TNM staging of hilar cholangiocarcinoma]

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma represent the majority of cholangiocarcinoma, accounting for 40-60% of whole cases. Complete resection remains the most effective and only potentially curative therapy for cholangiocarcinoma. Important factors for resection of cholangiocarcinoma such as diagnostic methods and clinical staging has been improved. Cancer staging system should be useful for guiding treatment and predicting the chance of survival. After Bismuth-Corlette classification was reported, several staging systems has been proposed and updated to accomplish this purpose. Currently 6(th) ed. American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging, 2nd ed. Japanese Society of Biliary Surgery (JSBS) classification and modified Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) classification are used worldwide for staging of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. These systems consider not only the tumor extent but also local biological factors that affect the resectability, but the priority among them has not yet been evaluated and randomized studies are being expected to verify this.