What is the Difference Between Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Cholangiocarcinoma

The key difference between hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma is that hepatocellular carcinoma is cancer due to the malignant transformation of hepatocytes, while cholangiocarcinoma is cancer due to malignant cells formed in the bile ducts.

The liver is one of the largest organs in the human body. Primary liver cancer is a disease in which cancer cells form in the tissues of the liver. There are two main types of primary liver cancers; they are hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. Hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for more than 80% of primary liver cancers, while cholangiocarcinoma accounts for the rest of the primary liver cancers.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Hepatocellular Carcinoma 
3. What is Cholangiocarcinoma
4. Similarities – Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Cholangiocarcinoma
5. Hepatocellular Carcinoma vs Cholangiocarcinoma in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Hepatocellular Carcinoma vs Cholangiocarcinoma

What is Hepatocellular Carcinoma?

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a cancer formed in the hepatocytes of the liver. It is the most common type of primary liver cancer. It is a serious illness that can be life-threatening. This is because hepatocellular carcinoma can cause liver failure. Hepatocellular carcinoma often starts in people who suffer from chronic liver diseases, such as cirrhosis, due to hepatitis B or hepatitis C viruses. The symptoms of this condition include abdominal discomfort or enlargement, weight loss, jaundice, gastrointestinal bleeding, nausea, vomiting, chronic itching, and fever. The risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma may include hepatitis B and C, infection, sex (males are affected more), age (60 0r older), type 2 diabetes, smoking, obesity, and excessive alcohol consumption.

The tests and procedures used to diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma may include blood tests, imaging tests (CT scan and MRI scan), and liver biopsy. Furthermore, hepatocellular carcinoma treatments include surgery to remove cancer, liver transplant, destroying cancer cells with heat or cold, chemotherapy or radiation directly to cancer cells, radiation therapy using energy from X-rays or protons to kill cancer cells, targeted drug therapy, and immunotherapy.

What is Cholangiocarcinoma?

Cholangiocarcinoma is a bile duct cancer. There are three types of cholangiocarcinoma: intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (occurs in the parts of the bile ducts within the liver), hilar cholangiocarcinoma (occurs in the bile ducts just outside of the liver), and distal cholangiocarcinoma (occurs in the parts of the bile duct nearest to the small intestine). The signs and symptoms of cholangiocarcinoma include jaundice, intense itching, white-coloured stools, fatigue, abdominal pain, losing weight, fever, night sweats, and dark urine. Cholangiocarcinoma occurs when cells in the bile ducts develop changes or mutations in their DNA. Moreover, the risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma include primary sclerosing cholangitis, chronic liver disease, bile duct problems present at birth, liver parasites, older age over 50 years), smoking, diabetes (type 1 or 2), and certain inherited conditions.

The tests and procedures to diagnose cholangiocarcinoma include liver function tests, tumor marker test (CA 19-9 in the blood), a test to examine the bile duct with a small camera, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), imaging tests (CT scan, MRI scan and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), and liver biopsy. Furthermore, treatments for cholangiocarcinoma include surgery, liver transplant, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy, immunotherapy, heating cancer cells, photodynamic therapy, and biliary drainage.

What are the Similarities Between Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Cholangiocarcinoma?

• Hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma are two different types of primary liver cancers.
• They have similar symptoms, such as jaundice, weight loss, fatigue, etc.
• Both cancers can lead to complications like liver failure.
• Both cancers are diagnosed through imaging tests, liver biopsy, etc.
• They can be treated through surgery, liver transplant, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy, immunotherapy, etc.

What is the Difference Between Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Cholangiocarcinoma?

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a cancer due to the malignant transformation of hepatocytes, while cholangiocarcinoma is a cancer due to malignant cells forming in the bile ducts. Thus, this is the key difference between hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. Furthermore, hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for more than 80 % of the primary liver cancers, while cholangiocarcinoma accounts for 10 to 20 % of the primary liver cancers.

The below infographic presents the differences between hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Hepatocellular Carcinoma vs Cholangiocarcinoma

The liver is a very important football-sized large organ that sits in the upper right portion of the abdomen and beneath the diaphragm. Primary liver cancer is a cancer that originally begins in the cells of the liver. Several types of primary cancers can develop in the liver. The most common type of primary liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma, which starts in the hepatocytes. The second most common primary liver cancer is cholangiocarcinoma, which begins in the bile duct. So, this summarizes the difference between hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma.

Reference:

1. “Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and More.” WebMD.
2. “Cholangiocarcinoma: MedlinePlus Genetics.” MedlinePlus.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Cholangiocarcinoma – very high mag” By Nephron – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Hepatocellular carcinoma histopathology (1)” – KGH assumed (based on copyright claims). Own work assumed (based on copyright claims). (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia