Biomarkers and Antibodies Development for Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma, also known as bile duct cancer, is cancer that forms in slender tubes (bile ducts) which carry digestive fluid bile. It originates in the bile duct that excretes bile from the liver into the small intestine and is a form of cancer consisting of mutated epithelial cells (or cells exhibiting characteristics of epithelial differentiation), rare cancer that occurs mostly in people over the age 50. Other biliary cancers include gallbladder cancer and cancer of the ampulla of Vater. Creative Biolabs provides a comprehensive list of IVD antibody development services targeting different biomarkers for cholangiocarcinoma diagnosis.

Cholangiocarcinoma is considered as incurable and rapidly deadly cancer because there is no potentially curative treatment unless the primary tumor and any metastases can be fully surgically removed. However, most patients present with advanced stage disease at the time of diagnosis and are therefore unable to operate. Patients with cholangiocarcinoma are usually treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other palliative care measures, which are also used as additional treatments in cases where the surgical resection are significantly or nearly successful.

Symptoms

Fig.1 Gallbladder.¹ The most common physiological indicator of cholangiocarcinoma is liver dysfunction, and blood tests of liver function often reveal so-called "obstructive images". To some extent, the symptoms depend on the location of the tumor: extrahepatic bile duct (outside the liver) cholangiocarcinoma patients are more likely to have jaundice, while intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients are more likely to have pain without jaundice. The signs and symptoms of cholangiocarcinoma include:

• Abnormal liver function tests
• Jaundice: yellowing of the eyes and skin occurring when bile ducts are blocked by tumor
• Abdominal pain (30%-50%)
• Weight loss (30%-50%)
• Intensely itchy skin (66%)
• Fever (up to 20%)
• Changes in the color of stool or urine: white-colored stools

Types & Conditions

Cholangiocarcinoma can affect any area of the bile ducts, either within or outside the liver. Doctors divide cholangiocarcinoma into different types based on where cancer occurs in the bile ducts:

Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma - occurs in the parts of the bile ducts within the liver and is sometimes classified as a type of liver cancer.

Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma - also known as perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, occurs in the bile ducts just outside of the liver.

Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma - also known as klatskin tumor, a cholangiocarcinoma occurring at the junction where the left and right hepatic ducts meet to form the common hepatic duct.

Distal Cholangiocarcinoma - occurs in the portion of the bile duct nearest the small intestine.

Risk Factors

Known risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma include:

• Primary sclerosing cholangitis: an inflammatory disease of the bile ducts, which causes hardening and scarring of the bile ducts.
• Liver parasite infection: parasitic liver flukes Opisthorchis viverrini or Clonorchis sinensis. In areas of Southeast Asia, cholangiocarcinoma is associated with liver fluke infection, which can occur from eating raw or undercooked fish.
• Chronic liver disease: scarring of the liver caused by a history of chronic liver disease increases the risk of cholangiocarcinoma.
• Congenital liver malformations: people born with a choledochal cyst, which causes dilated and irregular bile ducts, have an increased risk of cholangiocarcinoma.
• Smoking: smoking is associated with an increased risk of cholangiocarcinoma.
• Exposure to Thorotrast (thorium dioxide): a chemical formerly used in medical imaging.
• Older age: cholangiocarcinoma occurs most often in people over age 50.

To assist in the development of immunodiagnostic kits for cholangiocarcinoma, Creative Biolabs is offering high-quality IVD antibody development services against potential diagnostic biomarkers of cholangiocarcinoma. Moreover, we offer high-quality IVD immunoassay development services using either available antibodies or antibodies generated by us. We are specialized in different immunoassay formats. If you are interested in our service, please feel free to contact us for more information and a detailed quote.

Our services target the following biomarkers for Cholangiocarcinoma diagnosis:

Reference

1. From Wikipedia: By BruceBlaus, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gallbladder_(organ).png

For Research Use Only.