Cholangiocarcinoma in Pacific Islanders Compared to Asians

Pacific Islanders represent a minority population with a disproportionate amount of risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma, including chronic liver disease, obesity, and diabetes mellitus, compared to other populations in the United States, but are poorly studied independently from Asians. Thus, this study aimed to characterize cholangiocarcinoma in a group of Pacific Islanders compared to Asians. This study retrospectively assessed a population of 40 Pacific Islander and 215 Asian cholangiocarcinoma patients from Hawai'i's primary liver transplant center from 1993 to 2020. Overall, Pacific Islanders were younger at diagnosis and had a higher prevalence of obesity compared to Asians. There were no differences in hepatitis B or C infection, tumor markers, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma to intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma ratio, or surgical resection. When divided into extrahepatic and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, the extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cohort reflected the Pacific Islanders' younger age, higher proportion of obesity, and larger tumor size. The Pacific Islanders in the intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cohort had a greater prevalence of obesity and significantly more multifocal tumor presentation compared to Asians. Ultimately, Pacific Islanders presented younger, with higher body mass index, and with more advanced cholangiocarcinoma when divided into extrahepatic and intrahepatic types, but experienced no differences in receipt of surgical resection or 5-year survival compared to Asians. Awareness of cholangiocarcinoma occurrence in younger Pacific Islanders and assessment of premalignant biliary or hepatic pathologies may aid in the earlier identification and intervention of cholangiocarcinoma in Pacific Islanders.