Cholesterol

Sirica and his colleagues the direct effect of such obstruction on bile duct cancer cell growth and aggressiveness had not been previously investigated.

These new findings are highly significant for two reasons, says Dr.

Sirica.

First, they establish an important correlation between bile duct obstruction and bile duct cancer, suggesting growth regulatory mechanisms that could be highly significant in the progression of the cancer and that could become good molecular targets for drug therapy.

Second, they establish a unique preclinical model of how bile duct cancer in liver progresses that can be used to rapidly test and evaluate novel molecular treatment strategies.Such strategies are badly needed for this understudied cancer, adds Dr.

Sirica.

The incidence and mortality of cholangiocarcinoma, the primary cancer of the bile ducts, is increasing worldwide.

Some 3,500 new cases are now diagnosed annually in the United States.

Survival rates remain dismally low because most patients have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis and thus are poor candidates for the current best treatment, surgical resection.

Although there are some known risk factors for the disease (such as primary sclerosing cholangitis), the cause of mos...

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