Cholangiocarcinoma is a cancer that arises from the cells within the bile ducts; both inside and
outside the liver. When the tumors arise within the liver, the tumors can be small or large. The terms
cholangiocarcinoma and bile duct cancer are often used interchangeably. This form of cancer is
slightly more common in males than females and usually affects patients who are between 50-70
years of age.

The liver is a unique organ because it can hypertrophy (“re-grow”) after part of it has been removed.
However, the body does require that a minimum amount of liver be left behind following surgery in
order to give the body enough time for this re-growth to occur.
In some circumstances, the tumor in the liver is so large, that a large amount of liver would need to
be removed so that all the disease can be taken out. In these circumstances, physicians at Johns
Hopkins Medicine can utilize portal vein embolization to help the liver re-grow before the surgery.
Patients who previously were not candidates for surgery, due to the small amount of liver that would
be left behind, can now undergo surgery and have successful and safe removal of their tumor(s).

There are several common types of benign liver tumors and cysts:
Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH)
These masses are typically found during a routine examination. When a diagnosis of FNH has been
made, your physician will probably recommend taking a wait and see approach with these types of
benign tumors. You will be monitored using imaging scans like CT or MRI. If the focal nodular
hyperplasia does not grow, then your physician may recommend no further treatment or monitoring.

Colorectal liver metastasis is Stage IV cancer that did not start in the liver, but instead has spread
there from the colon or rectum. Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United
States. When colon or rectal cancer has spread to the liver, it is a serious disease; however, patients
can still be cured if treated appropriately.

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ located just under the liver. The gallbladder functions as
storage place for bile, a fluid made by the liver that helps to digest fats. Bile is released from the
gallbladder through the common bile duct and mixes in the stomach and intestines as food is broken
down through digestion.

Liver cancer is a primary cancer, meaning that it originated in the liver. (As opposed to liver
metastases, or secondary liver cancers, which have spread to the liver from other organs.)
Liver cancer is responsible for more than 12,000 deaths a year in the United States and is being
diagnosed more frequently. It is more common in men than women and in African Americans than
whites.
It is commonly associated with cirrhosis and hepatitis. Other risk factors can include a history of
alcohol use.