Shen TH, Yu X, Zhou C, Liu Y, Li QY, Li W, Jiang TH, Zhu YQ, Liu Y. Review of the mechanisms of the biliary-enteric axis in the development of cholangiocarcinoma. World J Clin Oncol 2025; 16(4): 102374 [DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v16.i4.102374]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Yan Liu, MD, Department of Interventional Oncology, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 164 Lanxi Road, Putuo District, Shanghai 200062, China. 229442695@qq.com
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Clin Oncol. Apr 24, 2025; 16(4): 102374 Published online Apr 24, 2025. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v16.i4.102374
Review of the mechanisms of the biliary-enteric axis in the development of cholangiocarcinoma
Tian-Hao Shen, Xue Yu, Cheng Zhou, Yu Liu, Qiu-Ying Li, Wei Li, Ting-Hui Jiang, Yong-Qiang Zhu, Yan Liu
Tian-Hao Shen, Xue Yu, Cheng Zhou, Yu Liu, Qiu-Ying Li, Ting-Hui Jiang, Yong-Qiang Zhu, Yan Liu, Department of Interventional Oncology, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200062, China
Wei Li, Department of Hepatological Surgery, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200062, China
Co-first authors: Tian-Hao Shen and Xue Yu.
Author contributions: Liu Y is responsible for project design, writing ideas, guidance and writing articles; Shen TH and Yu X are responsible for data analysis and article writing; Zhou C, Liu Yu and Li QY were responsible for collecting literature and analyzing data; Li W, Jiang TH and Zhu YQ were responsible for guiding the writing ideas and finalizing the draft.
Conflict-of-interest statement: There is no conflict of interest in this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yan Liu, MD, Department of Interventional Oncology, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 164 Lanxi Road, Putuo District, Shanghai 200062, China. 229442695@qq.com
Received: October 15, 2024 Revised: January 7, 2025 Accepted: February 13, 2025 Published online: April 24, 2025 Processing time: 161 Days and 18.2 Hours
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a particularly aggressive and challenging type of cancer, known for its poor prognosis, which is worsened by the complex interplay of various biological and environmental factors that contribute to its development. Recently, researchers have increasingly focused on the significant role of the biliary-enteric communication of liver-gut axis in the pathogenesis of CCA, highlighting a complex relationship that has not been thoroughly explored before. This review aims to summarize the key concepts related to the biliary-enteric communication of liver-gut axis and investigate its potential mechanisms that may lead to the onset and progression of CCA, a disease that presents substantial treatment challenges. Important areas of focus will include the microbiome's profound influence, which interacts with host physiology in ways that may worsen cancer development; changes in bile acid metabolism that can create toxic environments favorable for tumor growth; the regulation of inflammatory processes that may either promote or inhibit tumor progression; the immune system's involvement, which is crucial in the body's response to cancer; and the complex interactions within metabolic pathways that can affect cellular behavior and tumor dynamics. By integrating recent research findings from various studies, we aim to explore the multifaceted roles of the biliary-enteric communication of liver-gut axis in CCA, providing new insights and perspectives for future research while identifying promising therapeutic targets that could lead to innovative treatment strategies aimed at improving patient outcomes in this challenging disease.
Core Tip: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a type of cancer known for its poor prognosis and complex causes. Recently, researchers have focused more on the biliary-enteric axis's role in developing CCA. This review summarizes the basic concepts of the biliary-enteric axis and its potential mechanisms in CCA, including the microbiome's influence, changes in bile acid metabolism, regulation of inflammation, immune system involvement, and interactions in metabolic pathways. We integrate current research findings to explore the multidimensional roles of the biliary-enteric axis in CCA. This approach offers new perspectives for future research and identifies potential therapeutic targets.
