Is cholangiocarcinoma another complication of insulin resistance: A report of three cases

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary liver cancer, and the number of cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have been steadily increasing worldwide. Although the reasons for this surge are unknown, insulin resistance (IR) could be a risk factor, similar to what has been reported for other cancers. Case Report: We report on 3 cases of ICC arising in subjects sharing IR as an underlying risk factor. Case 1 was an obese and dyslipidemic patient with NAFLD. The second and the third patients were affected by type 2 diabetes. Conclusions: Evidence for a link between IR and onset of cholangiocarcinoma in our patients rests on three lines of evidence: epidemiological, biological, and exclusion of others risk factors. Studies are needed to confirm our hypothesis that IR is a risk factor for the development of ICC.