Abstract:

Cholangiocarcinoma is associated with a poor prognosis usually due to advanced stage at the time of diagnosis and limited treatment options. In patients with localized disease, surgical resection of the malignant lesion remains the only potentially curative treatment. Duration of surveillance after tumor resection and adjuvant therapy remains controversial. Most oncologists will see patients periodically for up to 5 years. We present a case of a 71-year-old woman with recurrence of cholangiocarcinoma in the lung 11-years after curative resection. This case report suggests that prolonged surveillance beyond 5 years may be indicated for cholangiocarcinoma patients at high risk for recurrence after curative resection.