Objective: To improve the level of diagnosis and treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma by investgating it′s clinical characteristics.
Methods: The clinical data of 98 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma were analyzed retrospectively.
Results: According to the  Bismuth-Corlitte grouping: typeⅠ, 8 cases; typeⅡ, 19 cases; type Ⅲ, 17 cases; type Ⅲb, 14 cases; and type Ⅳ, 40 cases. Radical resection(49), palliative operation(12), endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage(16), and PTCD(5) were performed The median survival time of radical resection group was 28.6 months and the survival rate at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years was 74.2%，65.3%，37.5%, and 3.9% respectively, while the median survival time of palliative operation group was 17.6 months and the survival rate at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years was 71.7%，26.8%，8.9%, and 0% respectively. The median survival time of endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage group was 4.5 months and the survival rate at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years was 21%，13%, and 0% respectively.
Conclusions: Early diagnosis by adjunctive examinations is vital to treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Radical resection is the sole procedure to improve the outcome and prognosis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Multiple therapeutic methods should be adopted and should be individualized.