Incidence trend and prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a study based on the SEER database

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have different cellular origins; therefore, ICC is significantly different from HCC in terms of aetiology, mechanism, tumour biological behaviour, treatment methods, and prognosis. The objective of this study was to investigate the current incidence trend and prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and deepen the understanding of ICC. Methods: A large sample of ICC and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patient data was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), USA. The incidence trend, prognosis, and the effect of surgery and lymph node dissection on the prognosis of ICC patients were analysed. Results: In recent years, the incidence of ICC has increased. The prognosis of ICC patients is significantly worse than that of HCC patients. Surgery can benefit all stages of ICC, and lymph node dissection is beneficial for the prognosis of patients with positive lymph nodes (N1). Conclusion: In recent years, the incidence of ICC has been increasing, and its prognosis remains poor, which is a cause for concern.